Their Final Battle
by Goth1cPr1nc3ss
Summary: Sequel to "A Malfoys Curse". Hermione and Draco face the Final Battle, family, friends and new adventure, all with a baby on board! Doesn't make sense if you don't read the other one first. DMHG HPOC RWPP GWBZ
1. Coming Home

**A/N: OMG! I finally have the first chapter of the sequel out! I'm so excited! I thank absolutely everyone who put me under alerts, favourites or anything else! I love you all! **

**I do have one thing to point out that one of my reviewers pointed out to me, something I overlooked. Sierra does have an older brother! I will introduce him in this story, I promise, I may have to be reminded, I'll take care of that, but he will get in there, just be patient! Many thanks to Avestia for pointing that out to me!**

**I won't say much more, I'll let you just get on with your reading. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

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**Chapter One - Coming Home**

**Friday, May 31st**

Hermione and Draco walked towards Hermione's car, with Draco carrying Scorpius in one of his arms, and his trunk in the other. Hermione carried her trunk and Draco's owl, Cardon.

They put all of there trunks and Cardon in the boot of the car and climbed in the back.

"Took you long enough." Hermione commented as she buckled herself, and then helped Draco. He wasn't used to riding in a car yet.

"You should be grateful that we came to get you at all." Haylee answered. Hermione rolled her eyes. Casey looked back and pulled her sunglasses to the end of her nose to get a better look at the three of them.

"Who's the baby?" She asked. Hermione raised her eyebrows at her.

"You'll find out soon enough, but his name is Scorpius." She answered her. Casey and Haylee scoffed as they turned out onto the road.

"Scorpius is a stupid name. I would be embarrassed if I were that kid's parents." Haylee commented. Hermione had to put a hand on Draco's arm to stop him from saying something stupid.

"You'll see." Hermione said. The rest of the trip was relatively silent in the back seat, but Haylee and Casey didn't stop talking the entire time they were driving. They talked about anything that came into mind. Draco and Hermione took turns holding Scorpius and shushing him. The little boy was fussing like you wouldn't believe.

As they pulled into Hermione's house, Kaz was just walking up to her front door. Kaz was Hermione's best muggle friend. She knew all about Hogwarts and Hermione's magic life, and during the holidays, Kaz had met Draco, and they had got along swimmingly.

As soon as Kaz saw the car pull up into the driveway, and saw Hermione and Draco sitting in the back seat, you could see her eyes light up and she walked to where the car had stopped. Hermione opened the door, with Scorpius cuddled in her arms. She smiled widely at her friend, and opened her other arm for a hug. Kaz went up to her and stopped dead when she saw the small bundle.

Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.

"No way!" She cried. Hermione laughed.

"Yes, way." She answered. Kaz jumped up and down, and then took the bundle from her. "Quiet, he's sleeping."

"He's gorgeous!" She squealed. "What's his name?"

"Scorpius." Draco answered. Hermione jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Don't do that!" She chastised. Draco smirked at her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Ah, so the boyfriend survives." Kaz joked. Draco glared at her and kissed Hermione's neck.

"Of course I did." He answered, clearly annoyed by the statement. Kaz and Hermione laughed at him.

"Come on, we have to get inside. I guess I have some explaining to do." Hermione sighed. Draco let go of her and rubbed her arms.

"Have fun. I'll be out here waiting until you give the all clear." He assured. Hermione gave him an insufferable look.

"Fine, but don't run off anywhere. Can I have the letter?" She asked. Draco fished it out of his pocket.

"There you go. I love you." Draco said, and kissed on the lips. Kaz cleared her throat.

"Well, do I get to hear this interesting story of pregnancy and child birth or what?" She asked. Hermione sighed.

"Come on, let's head inside." She answered. Hermione took Scorpius back from Kaz, gave Draco a quick kiss and walked inside to face the music.

Inside, Haylee, Casey, and Hermione's parents were sitting on the couch, obviously talking about something important by the looks on their faces. When they heard the door close, all the heads turned to face them.

"See, we told you that she had a baby with her, and you didn't believe us." Haylee said smugly.

"Oh, shut up, Haylee. You don't even know the full story." Hermione snapped. Her temper was at its end already. Haylee just glared at her and leaned back in the chair.

"So, what's the "full story" then?" She asked. Hermione took a deep breath and sat down opposite the rest of her family. Casey looked around.

"Hey, where's the boy we brought back with you?" She asked. Hermione snorted.

"Slytherins are known for their cunning and sense of self-preservation, not courage. He's outside, waiting until he can come inside and not get hurt, or yelled out, or thrown out of the house." She answered. Haylee and Casey rolled their eyes and studied their nails, while Hermione's parents looked at her with concern.

"Hermione, what happened?" Her mother asked. "Why do you have a child with you?"

Hermione took a deep breath.

"It all started after I was abducted by Lucius Malfoy. During my, "stay", there, Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother, helped me live through everything that Lucius put me through. I even have scars to prove it." Hermione lifted her shirt to just underneath her breasts, so her family and Kaz could see the scar that Lucius had made with his knife. She heard her parents and sisters gasp. For the first time it seemed that something was getting through to them. She wasn't just their annoying little sister, she was putting her life on the line nearly everyday so she could stay with the guy she loved, and help her best friend save the world. She lowered her shirt.

"Narcissa would tell me everyday that Draco was coming to get me. That he was coming to help me. I believed her, because it was the only thing that kept me going; that, and the small amounts of food and water that she was able to smuggle me. It lasted days. Apparently, during my stay at the manor, Narcissa sent Draco a letter. Here, take a look at this." Hermione passed the note to her parents, who read it together and passed it along to Haylee and Casey, who then passed it to Kaz. Hermione's mother stood up and went to hug her daughter.

"Oh Hermione. I'm so sorry." She muttered. Hermione hugged her back, but then pulled out of her arms.

"Honestly mum, I wouldn't have it any other way." She answered. Mrs. Granger kissed Hermione on the forehead. That was when Kaz saw the ring Hermione wore on her finger. Her eyes widened and she grabbed Hermione's hand.

"What?" She asked. Hermione snatched her hand back.

"It's Draco's way of making sure that I'm an honest woman." She muttered, rubbing the hand with the ring on it. Her mother had taken Scorpius out of her lap and gone back to her seat to coo at her grandson.

"What are you doing Hermione?" Casey asked suspiciously. Hermione groaned.

"Hiding something I don't want you to see." She answered. Unfortunately, Haylee and Casey were smart girls; they put two and two together and came out with four.

"No way!" They squealed and rushed over to kneel in front of Hermione. They grabbed her hand and held it out to look at.

"That's gorgeous. He must have taken out a huge loan for this thing." Haylee commented. Casey nodded in agreement.

"This, is a family heirloom. Narcissa gave it to Draco to give to me." Hermione explained.

"What is, darling?" Her father asked. Haylee and Casey smiled evilly and made their way back to their seats.

"I think we underestimated the size of your _fiancé's_ wealth, don't you think Casey?" Haylee asked.

"Yes, I do think that we rather underestimated it by the size of that ring, Haylee." She agreed. Mr. Granger looked at Hermione curiously.

"What are they talking about, Hermione?" He asked curiously. Hermione took another deep breath.

"As Draco wrote in his letter to you, he's grown up in a family of tradition. It deeply troubled him that we had a child, but we weren't married, or engaged. By the time that he proposed, we were both seventeen and of age. He now feels marginally better about the situation now that we are engaged." She answered, hoping against hope that her father wouldn't burst.

"Then he lied to us." He stated. Hermione closed her eyes and drew a breath. When she opened them again, she posed her next question.

"What would you do in his position, dad? He's a seventeen year old father, who doesn't like the situation he's been put in one bit, and hates that he's had to bring me in on it as well. The only thing he could think of to make his position a little better was to propose to me. And I agreed. I want to spend the rest of my life with him. We'll get married after the war ends, possibly have more children, I don't know. But everyday he beats himself up over his stupid family curse, and how he had to get me pregnant to make sure he stayed alive. But I was the one who said that I would go along with it. He didn't do it behind my back. He told me everything he knew about it, and Narcissa had told him everything she knew about it. Don't blame him over something he can't control." She finished. Hermione could see her father turn things over in his mind.

"No, I can't blame him for this. And I'm glad that he's tried to make and honest woman out of you. Go bring him in. He needs a true welcome to the family." He answered, smiling at her. Hermione grinned massively.

"Thank you, daddy! I love you!" She cried, leaping out of her chair and gave him a huge hug, before walking out to the door and opening it.

"Draco, you're in the clear, you can come in." She called out to him. Draco was sitting a bit to the right of the door, on a bench that was under the porch. He looked up at her.

"Really? I'm not going to be killed?" He asked. Hermione jumped at the sound of his voice being so close to her again.

"Oh! There you are. No, you aren't going to be killed. Dad wants to give you a true welcome to the family thing. I have no idea what he's going to do, but he looked appeased when I told him everything. I'm sure it will be something good." Hermione answered. Draco breathed a sigh of relief and got up off the bench. He kissed her softly once, before Hermione dragged him behind her.

When he reached the rest of the family and Kaz, Kaz was the first to jump up and hug him.

"Aww! Welcome to the family Draco!" She cried. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You aren't even in the family, Kaz!" She pointed out. Kaz pouted.

"I pretty much am! I spend more time here than I do at home during the holidays. I could practically call your folks mum and dad!" She commented. Hermione conceded her point.

"I guess so."

Haylee and Casey were the next ones to come up and give Draco the good word.

"I guess you aren't so bad if you're able to keep Hermione in line and out of our way." They conceded. Draco snorted.

"I'll take that as a welcome then." He answered. Hermione and Kaz laughed. Draco looked towards Hermione's parents next hesitantly. Mrs. Granger opened her arms and Draco walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"Thank you, my boy. I'm glad Hermione has you." She whispered. Draco smiled at her.

"Thank you Mrs. Granger." He answered. He turned to Mr. Granger next and he stood and held out his hand.

"Welcome to the family, son." He announced. Draco felt tears come to his eyes, and he fought them back, taking hold of Mr. Granger's hand and shaking it firmly.

"Thank you, sir." He responded, his voice croaking a bit.

"So, I guess that we will have to get Hermione to enlarge her bed for you to sleep in too. I'm not about to split apart that happy couple." He announced again. Haylee and Casey's mouths dropped open quickly followed by Hermione's, once it registered in her mind.

"Are you joking? Because if you are, that isn't funny." She snapped. Her father laughed and shook his head.

"I'm not joking Hermione. Kaz, help these two get their stuff upstairs." He ordered. Kaz nodded and they walked outside, back to the car to get their belongings. Hermione grabbed her trunk and Draco grabbed his, while Kaz brought Cardon inside. They brought them up into Hermione's room. Hermione bit her lip when they got inside.

"You're going to have to leave the room, Kaz. I'm not allowed to do magic in front of you." She explained. Kaz huffed, but left the room gracefully. Hermione took her wand out and enlarged her bed to the size of a double, before stowing it away and calling Kaz back in. She was laughing as she entered.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked. Kaz chuckled evilly again.

"You're sisters are complaining to your dad about you two getting to sleep together in your room." She answered. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes.

"They were always jealous of me." She responded. Draco grinned, and grabbed her around the waist, before pulling her onto the bed.

"Of course they were. What's not to be jealous of?" He commented. Hermione squealed as they hit the bed and Kaz laughed at the doorway. Hermione glared at him and hit him. Draco grinned again and kissed her. Hermione smiled into the kiss. Kaz had to clear her throat again.

"Before you go making any more babies, can I leave the room?" She asked after the couple had broken apart. Hermione laughed.

"Come lay down with us, Kaz." She suggested, making Draco shovel over so that they could fit an extra person on the bed. Kaz jumped in on the other side of Hermione.

"I would love to." She answered, Hermione laughed. Draco sighed.

"Girls." He muttered. Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. He yelped, and the other two laughed. Draco rubbed his ribs.

"You have pointy elbows." He complained. Hermione laughed again, and then all three looked up to see Hermione's mother walking in, carrying Scorpius. Hermione sat up immediately and held her arms out for him. Mrs. Granger put him in her arms and sat on the end of the bed as the other two also sat up.

"Your father is bringing in your old cot for him to sleep in. You're going to have to do something to make sure we don't hear him if he wakes up, or you two for that matter." She added. Hermione glared at her mother, Draco cleared his throat and Kaz was laughing.

"You can go now, mother." She insisted. Mrs. Granger started laughing, along with Kaz, and that was when Mr. Granger walked in with Hermione's old cot. Of course, it was pink, but Hermione would just have to change the colour of that later.

"That's perfect, dad. Could you put it over there, by the window?" Hermione asked. Her father nodded and carried it to the window. Draco got up to help, and pushed it into the wall, directly under the window.

"Thanks for that." Mr. Granger said, and patted Draco on the back. Draco smiled.

"That's alright." He answered. Mr. Granger smiled back at him and left the room, while Draco went to sit back on the bed.

Just as Draco sat down, an owl landed on the windowsill and started tapping on the window. Mrs. Granger sighed, before getting up and opening the window for the beautiful, white, snowy owl.

"That's Harry's." Hermione points out, before taking the letter from the owl, who had landed beside her on the bed, patting her on the head and reading the letter aloud to those on the room.

_Dear Hermione and Draco,_

_How are you? Did everything go okay with talking to Hermione's parents? Is Draco still alive? Sierra will be mighty pissed off if he isn't, I'll tell you now. I'm glad you told them everything though; you will all be a lot happier. _

_We're all great here, Sierra and I are both happy and well, as are the Weasley's, if not a bit tired from greeting everyone at the same time, and talking long into the night on training schedule's and such nonsense. _

_Speaking of training, you guys better start doing some sort of physical exercise, other than that, _

Here, Draco and Hermione rolled their eyes and scowled, as Kaz laughed and Mrs. Granger raised her eyebrows at the two of them.

"He makes it sound like we're having sex all the time!" Draco complained. He looked towards Mrs. Granger. "Which is completely not true Mrs. Granger, I assure you." The aforementioned woman just nodded her head like she believed him.

"I'm going to kill Harry." Hermione muttered, before going on with the letter.

_for the couple of weeks that you're going to be away. You won't want to be in a bad way when you get here. The training regime they've made up is going to be gruelling. _

_Hedwig will wait a reply. _

_See you guys in a couple of weeks,_

_Harry, Sierra and Ron. _

Hermione looked up and sighed.

"They're right, we're going to have to start training sooner or later, and by the sounds of this, I'd rather sooner."

Draco grimaced.

"That sounds fun." He replied sarcastically. Hermione scowled at him and swatted his arm, causing him to scowl back, which, in turn, caused Kaz to snort, in a rather unlady-like manner. Mrs. Granger smiled at the teenagers in the room before sighing and standing up.

"Well, while you lot try and figure this problem out, I'm going to start making lunch, come down when you're ready." She commented, before leaving the room.

"Well, we should try and write a reply to Harry first." Hermione suggested. Draco nodded and she got up to get some parchment, quill and ink from her unpacked trunk.

"Are you going to unpack that?" Kaz asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No. We're just leaving again in a week anyway. Why bother? I will be changing the clothes in there though." She pointed out, and Kaz nodded knowingly.

Hermione sat down on the bed, a book she had grabbed being used as a hard backing for writing the letter against, and wrote back to Harry. She told him about her parents' reactions, and those of her sisters, before asking him what sort of training they should be doing, and signing off.

"There, done." She announced, blowing on the ink so it would dry quicker, before rolling it up and tying to Hedwig's leg. Draco took the bird to the window, opened it, and let her fly though. He stayed by the window for a bit, watching Hedwig fly away, but soon returned to his post by Hermione's side, on her, now their, bed.

"Did you know, I really hate wars?" He commented. Hermione groaned, and fell back on the bed.

"I know what you mean. They are worthless, don't accomplish anything other than mass amounts of murder, and upset everyone."

They stayed silent for a little bit more, mulling everything over, and then Hermione sat up and went to go to her trunk again. Draco sat up too, and looked at her curiously.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Getting my Defence books. The least we can do at the moment is look through these, to at least memorise some of the spells and revise them." Draco groaned and fell back on the bed.

"Only if Kaz is put through the same torture." He bargained. Hermione laughed and Kaz elbowed him roughly in the ribs.

"Of, course, it's only fair." Hermione answered, and dropped six years worth of Defence books, as well as the ones she had acquired of your own volition through the years, on the bed in front of her friend and fiancée.

"Dig in." She announced, grabbing one herself and opening it to the first page.

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**And that's the end of the first chapter! Now I would like to individually mention the people that made my life happier!**

**LadySerena.16, Readerforlife, LibraryChild, Krissie92, The Queen of Confusion, WAchick, David Fishwick, the last place you look, TomFlover26, ..Bethii, DarkestAngel13, Rosepraul, srigirl68, Miyu06, Ayanna88, ICY192, DracosMyMalfoy, bunny08, aquarius89, Slytherin4Life, AryaEragonPrincessShadeslayer, toolazytowrite, tulip75, mickey308, desertmilk, Pixie Not A Fairy, Savannah Cullen, Sashalia, Watcher of the Moon, sophiaash, kimiko16, mygirl756, crazy-lady-on-the-floor, Bringg Mee Flowerss, LoBby-101, angel-amoung-us, bubble dream, Rebeccaisnice, Hermione-Loves-Ron16311, Avestia, Icee-Penguin-Rhino, xoxo peaceee xoxo, .., EllieMay Duncan, Megs013, mandigrrl, IheartDramione, maddie1971, NatHuggers, kallester13, EvilMistress1, CuTe-GrYfInDoR-PrInCeSs, iluvkimmycub, kis86, jrfess, happyntexas, bookworm200, cullen's pet, EmilyWoods.**

**Thank you to all of you! You make my world go around!**


	2. The Ability to Train

**A/N: I thought I'd reward all you brilliant reviewers and alerters and favouriters with another chapter! Some of you are just so faithful to my story and I love you all (on a purely platonic level) for it! Reading your reviews makes my day!**

**Disclaimer: I can not claim ownership to anything. **

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**Chapter 2: The Ability to Train**

**Monday, June 3rd**

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous." Kaz commented, slamming her book shut, making Draco and Hermione jump, and Scorpius wake from his sleep and start crying. Kaz, Hermione and Draco all winced. Hermione got up to comfort her son and, hopefully, get him back to sleep.

"What's wrong now, Kaz?" Draco asked, rolling his eyes at the girls' obvious annoyance.

"We have been studying these books all weekend, and where have we gotten? Nowhere! That's where!" She cried, throwing up her arms.

Hermione chuckled.

"You might have gotten nowhere, but revision for us is what we need. I know I've suddenly remembered a lot more than I did before." She answered.

"But you need a rest from study. You can't just study day in and day out for two weeks." Kaz argued. Draco raised his eyebrows at her.

"You really haven't seen Hermione when it comes to her exams, or tests, for that matter, have you?" He asked. Kaz shot him a quelling look.

"Of course I have, but I was always the one that kept her sane." She answered proudly. Hermione scoffed.

"All you did was drag me out of my house, where I was quite happy studying, and bought me ice cream." Hermione deadpanned.

"It was better than watching you waste away in one of your school books." Kaz argued back. Draco held up his hand.

"So, why don't we have a break for a day, go into town, have ice cream," Draco looked pointedly at Kaz, "and relax, before getting back into the books." He suggested. Hermione looked thoughtful, before nodding.

"Sure, but there's one thing that just came to my mind; we aren't just going to have to study books, we're going to have to do the physical training, and duelling as well. How can we do that with Kaz here all the time?"

Kaz scowled at her, and Hermione offered her an apologetic look.

"Why don't we ask Harry to see if he can pull strings in the Ministry? If anyone could, it's him. All we'd need to do is explain the situation; that Kaz knows all about magic, the war and everything. Harry could approach the Ministry, on our behalf, and ask for us to be able to do magic in front of Kaz. If they have any limits, we won't breach those, and we'll have our own safety barrier to protect both her and our son." Draco suggested. No matter how many times he said it, saying the words, "our son", always made his stomach flop a bit in excitement.

Hermione looked a tad worried for a moment before nodding.

"I think that's our only option. I hate making Harry exploit his name though." She worried.

Draco got up and walked over to her, and started rubbing her upper arms. He looked her dead in the eyes.

"I'm sure he won't mind, it is so we are able to prepare ourselves for the war, after all." Draco reasoned. Hermione nodded and broke contact with him. She put Scorpius back in his crib and grabbed a quill, parchment and ink to write Harry a letter, explaining everything that was a problem.

_Dear Harry,_

_How are you? Unfortunately I have to ask something of you that I normally wouldn't. We need you to pull a few stings for us with the Ministry. _

_My best muggle friend, Kathleen Muscat, or just Kaz, knows all about magic, and the magical world. I've told her all about it ever since I was eleven and had first come to Hogwarts. Ever since, I have told her everything about what has been happening with the school, the war, and the problems facing our world. _

_Here within lies our problem. Kaz practically lives at my house during the holidays when I am at my house. The girl doesn't leave for anything. She's practically a member of the family for the week or so that I'm at home. _

_Draco and I can't practise our magic in front of Kaz by Ministry rule, but she is the only one, other than Narcissa and my own parents, and you guys, of course, that I would ever trust with Scorpius while Draco and I are training. My mother and father work during the day, and it is too much to ask Narcissa to keep him all day, everyday, so we can train. _

_Can you please appeal to the Ministry to let us perform magic in front of Kaz, for the good of training for battle? It would be immensely helpful. _

_Yours Sincerely, _

_Hermione and Draco_

"There, that should do it. I know it sounds oddly formal, but Harry could very well bring this into the Ministry as proof of our tale. Do you want to read it?" She asked Draco and Kaz. Draco took the sheet of parchment with him and sat on the bed, next to Kaz so she could read over his shoulder.

"Sounds good to me." Kaz commented. Draco nodded in agreement and Hermione took Cardon from his cage near the now blue baby crib near the window. She took a piece of string from her desk and tied the letter to the owl's leg.

"This letter is for Harry, okay?" She instructed. The bird hooted softly, before Hermione took him to the window, and allowed him to fly through.

"There, now we can go." Kaz exclaimed. Draco gave the girl a look.

"Who are we going to get to look after Scorpius?" He asked the room at large.

"My sisters are our best bet, but I don't know how they are going to take being asked to babysit." Hermione suggested. Kaz frowned.

"Is there no one else? I wouldn't trust them not to leave him up here the entire time, never check on him, and go out on the town for the day." She criticised. Hermione sighed.

"It's the best we can get at such short notice." She reasoned. Kaz nodded, but she still didn't look very happy about it. Draco got up and grabbed Scorpius from his crib and Hermione walked downstairs to try and find her older twin sisters.

"Casey? Haylee? Where are you?" She called down the stairs. The two girls poked their heads out from the living room and beckoned Hermione closer. Said girl rolled her eyes and walked into the living room, waiting for them to stop their phone conversation.

"I know, right? That is so totally uncool. Oh well, we'll chat tomorrow, our baby sister wants something from us. Ciao, ciao!" They said, before flipping the phone closed and looking towards her, in sync. "So, what is it you want, Hermione?"

Hermione sighed and started to think that this was a bad idea.

"I need you two to look after Scorpius. Kaz, Draco and I are going into town to take a break from studying. Can you please look after my son, your nephew, for a couple of hours?" She asked. Haylee and Casey looked at each other.

"Can't you just take him with you?" Haylee asked. Hermione sighed.

"You two obviously haven't grasped the entire situation I'm in. No one in my world, other than a select few, know that I have a son, let alone a Malfoy heir, so, if Scorpius is seen in town, by someone from my world, the news will be all over tomorrow mornings papers, magazines and gossip columns. That would potentially, no, it _will_, put my family, including you two, in fatal danger. Do you really want that to happen?" She asked. As she said this, Hermione spoke very slowly and carefully, making sure that the two over-grown airheads were able to take in everything that she was saying. Haylee and Casey just looked exasperated.

"Isn't there anyone else that could take care of him?" Casey asked. Hermione let out a loud, frustrated sigh, and turned to see Kaz and Draco standing at the bottom of the stairs, Draco carrying Scorp, and Kaz scowling at the twins.

"Don't worry about it Hermione. They obviously don't give a wits end about whether you and our son stay alive or die, so there's really no point in pushing the matter." Draco intoned. Hermione nodded and walked out of the room.

"What are we going to do now?" She asked. Draco shrugged.

"We could always call my mother. I'm sure she'd be thrilled to see little Scorp." Draco suggested. Hermione sighed and rubbed her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"Okay. We might as well." She muttered, before walking back into the Living Room and pulling a pot of white powder out from behind a portrait of her family. Draco and Kaz followed after her.

"Your house is connected to the floo system?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded.

"I had it done for security reasons a while back. In fact, straight after the "Dark Lord" came back into existence." Hermione explained, putting quotation marks around Voldemort's name.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Haylee asked. Hermione just about snapped.

"None of you bloody business!" She turned and yelled. The twins jumped back in surprise at the ferocity in her voice, and went back to their phones. Draco and Kaz looked at each other in worry, and watched Hermione mutter something about stupid, immature sisters.

Hermione fumbled with the amount of powder, but Draco came over, passed Scorpius to her, took the floo powder from her and told her to go sit and calm down.

He threw the white powder into the fireplace and called out for his mother.

Narcissa Malfoy emerged a minute later, dressed as elegantly as ever, and held a regal pose. Hermione's twin sisters were immediately intimidated. Narcissa turned her light blue-grey eyes around to survey the room, until they landed on Hermione on the couch and Draco standing beside her, with another, strange looking girl behind her. On her lap, Hermione held a bundle of blankets, which she supposed was her new grandson.

Narcissa immediately started clapping her hands and made her way over to the couple and their friend.

"Oh Merlin! Is that little Scorpius? Can I have a look?" She asked, all excited. Hermione and Draco laughed.

"You can do better than that mother. How would you like to look after him for the day while Hermione, Kaz and I go into town to wind down?" Draco asked his mother. Narcissa looked like Christmas had come early.

"I can look after him for the day? That would be wonderful!" She cried. Hermione laughed again, but had he shush her soon-to-be mother-in-law, because Scorpius was stirring, and that usually meant screaming. Narcissa instantly bid to her wishes and quieted her tittering.

It was at that moment that Haylee and Casey decided to speak up.

"Hermione, who is this strange person who just emerged from our fireplace?"

"If you had ears, then you would know that this "strange person", is Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy." She explained. Narcissa tutted the young mother.

"Hermione, be nice to the young women. They were simply asking a question." She chastised.

"You don't have to live with them Narcissa. They are the devil incarnate!" Hermione complained. Narcissa just frowned at the girl.

"There are worse things out there than sisters, my dear, like husbands." Narcissa joked. Hermione cracked a smile, and so did Kaz, but Draco scowled.

"Thank you mother." He muttered angrily.

"That's quite alright dear. Now, not to seem rude, but who might you be dear?" The elder woman asked Kaz.

The girl smiled.

"Kathleen Muscat, but everyone calls me Kaz. I hate my name." She answered. Narcissa smiled.

"Of course, Kaz. Well, I better let you lot be off. But, I must ask. What are your delightful sisters' names, Hermione?"

"Haylee and Casey." Hermione answered. Narcissa nodded, before taking Scorpius out of Hermione's grip and cooing at the little boy. Hermione smiled, and Draco squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"Well, I suspect you will come and let me know when you want the boy back. Do not worry, Hermione. During the time between the Yule Ball and now, I have stocked up on the baby necessities. I have everything I need at home. I'll see you all later!" Narcissa called, and then threw the floo powder into the flames, covered Scorpius mouth and nose with her sleeve, and disappeared into the emerald green flames. Hermione stood up and brushed her pants down before turning to Kaz and Draco.

"So, now that we have that little problem resolved, do you want to go now?" She asked. The two nodded enthusiastically, and Hermione ran upstairs again to get her purse, before running straight back down and to the front door.

"Are you coming or not?" She asked. Draco and Kaz followed her outside.

On the front lawn, Kaz spread her arms and sucked in a deep breath.

"Ah! Clean air!" She cried. Draco sniggered and Hermione hit the girl on the arm with her purse. The trio walked down towards the shops, only down the street from Hermione's house, in a jovial manner.

"So, what did you guys do at school this year, other than the big stuff that I know already?" Kaz asked. Hermione and Draco walked side-by-side, an arm slung over her shoulders, and an arm hung around his waist.

"Too much to tell you in just one trip, Kaz." Hermione answered. Kaz pouted.

"Come on, I'll tell you my stories if you tell me yours." She asked.

"We'll tell you later, Kaz." Draco replied. Kaz pouted again.

"So, at least tell me how all of your other friends are. You can tell me that, can't you?" She asked. Hermione laughed.

"Harry, Ron, Sierra, Pansy, Ginny and Blaise are all perfectly fine. As far as we know." Hermione added, a look coming over her face.

"Why wouldn't they be okay? There is no reason why any of them would not be okay." Kaz replied. Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"You sound nervous Kaz." He commented.

"I so am not! Why would I be nervous?" She shot back. Hermione gave her a look and Draco chuckled quietly to himself.

"It just sounds like you know something we don't about our friends." He answered casually.

"I don't even know what these people look like. I've never even seen photos." Kaz replied.

"Okay then. I'll believe you." Draco answered. Kaz still looked at him suspiciously though.

"So Kaz, what did you do this year?" Hermione asked, restarting conversation.

"Not much. The stupid teachers have given me loads of homework again, but that's not unusual. The girls are all complaining about it, because they actually do it, but the boys aren't because the never do it." She answered. Hermione snorted.

"Do that at Hogwarts and you'll get detention quicker than you can say Merlin." Hermione replied. Draco laughed quickly too, agreeing.

"Snape would have you cleaning out cauldrons that night after dinner if so much as tried to offer an excuse." He commented. Hermione nodded.

"He's horrible. But I guess he can be alright." She said. Draco nodded,

"He has been good to me. I mean, he's like my father or something." Draco replied. Kaz looked confused.

"I thought that Lucius guy was your father." Kaz commented. Draco nearly snarled and tightened his arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"He's no father of mine." He hissed. Kaz looked a tad scared for a moment, but Draco calmed down after Hermione hugged him as they walked.

"I'm sorry Kaz. I just really don't like him." He apologised. Kaz waved it off.

"Eh, don't worry about it. You have full right not to like him." She answered. Draco nodded.

By this time, the trio had already made it into town, and had stopped outside of the ice cream parlour.

"I'll go in and get ice creams," Hermione volunteered. "What would you all like?"

"Vanilla for me thanks." Kaz answered. Draco shrugged, looking a tad lost.

"Um, whatever you're having." He replied. Hermione smiled, and then walked into the ice cream parlour to order, while Kaz and Draco got a seat outside in the sun.

Hermione didn't take too long with the ice cream, and soon she had joined them, sitting next to Draco, and opposite Kaz outside the shop. Kaz suddenly leaned forward as she ate her ice cream, careful not to drip any. Hermione leant forward too, just to copy her.

"So, are you going to tell me about your year now?" Kaz asked the two of them. She looked very suspicious though, looking between the two of them like it was the biggest kept secret in the world. Hermione laughed.

"Okay, you want to know, here goes. Remember, at the start of the school year, I didn't know I was pregnant. . ." And she went on, recounting her past year at Hogwarts, her months during pregnancy, the encounters and problems that her and Draco had had, with Draco sometimes intervening to add in small pieces of information that she may have missed. The trio got up eventually during their amazing conversation and started off walking around town, ending up at a nearby park.

"So, that was our year Hogwarts." Hermione finalised. Kaz nodded.

"You two seem to have quite interesting years, don't you?" She asked. Hermione laughed and nodded.

"I've already told you about ones past. You should know by now that no year in Hogwarts is, by any stretch of the imagination, normal." She replied. Kaz nodded with an understanding look on her face.

"Definitely not. And especially not with you two and your friends! You're always getting into some sort of trouble! I wish my school years were as interesting." She stated. Hermione laughed again.

"Our years may be exciting, but usually they aren't for good reasons. Think about it; first year, a mass murderer attaches himself on the back of our teachers head and tries to use him to kill Harry; second year, the same man, but in his teenage form that had been preserved in a diary, lets loose a giant snake that can kill you by looking at you, out on the school, our friend gets taken down to the Chamber of Secrets, I'm lying paralysed in the Hospital Wing, and Harry and Ron are attacked by a teacher, and Harry is the target of an attempted murder yet again. In third year, we get a new Defence teacher, and he turns out to be a werewolf, and his best friend, who everyone thinks is a murderer, escapes from Azkaban and infiltrates the school, sending everyone crazy. Said werewolf then attacks us! Fourth year the Triwizard Tournament comes to Hogwarts and Harry is entered in against his will and ends up taken, with another student, who ends up getting killed, to a graveyard, where he is forced to duel his greatest enemy. Fifth year, Draco and I are threatened by his father and the Black family house is broken into. Sixth year, Draco gets a death sentence, I'm taken hostage and tortured, and now, we aren't even going back to school for our seventh, because we have to find out ways to stop the evil bastard who thinks he can ruin everyone's lives. Are you seeing a pattern here?" Hermione retold. Kaz nodded.

"Okay, I see your point. But it would be good to be on the sidelines, not one of your guys, who are in the middle of all the action, I mean, just watching and going along for the ride!" She cried. Hermione smiled and shook her head.

Both girls were now seated on the swing set, right next to the playground, with Draco behind them, pushing the slightly. Suddenly, Draco had a thought run through his head.

"What are we going to do with Scorp?" He asked. Hermione and Kaz jumped slightly and turned to look at him a bit, frowns upon their faces.

"What are you talking about Draco?" Hermione asked.

"It was as you said about the war, and how we're going to be fighting and such, what are we going to be doing about Scorp? I don't want him anywhere near here when the battle breaks out." He answered, a blank look on his face, as if he had reverted back into the boy he was long ago, unfeeling and cold. But only Hermione could hear the slight anxiety in his tone, and his words were good enough for one to know that he was worried about the baby.

"I don't know. I want him away from here too. As well as my parents and sisters. I don't want them to be used as leverage against me. We need somewhere to take them that isn't in this country, but we can't book a flight. We'd need to know dates for that, though." Hermione thought aloud. At that moment, Kaz spoke up.

"I'll take them away. I'll take care of them. I know all of it. I know the danger. They really don't. I'll keep them safe." She volunteered. Hermione and Kaz stopped their swings and looked at each other.

"Are you sure, Kaz? I mean, this is huge. I know that you know what you are getting into, but, still, I wouldn't want to put you in trouble." Hermione reasoned. Kaz just waved it off.

"Hermione, I'm in trouble and danger and all that just by knowing you; don't you realise that? I know what's needed of me. I'd be happy to look after your son." She answered, placing her hand on Hermione's knee. Hermione started to tear up and she took Kaz's hand in hers and smiled at her. Draco just watched on without interruption.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Kaz. Thank you, so much." Hermione whispered. Kaz just smiled back at her.

"I'd do anything for you Hermione, you know that. You're my best friend." She answered. Hermione looked up at Draco and he nodded to her.

"Kaz, I need to know, and so does Draco, that if anything happens to us, that Scorpius will be looked after properly, and by someone who knows about our world. If either Draco and/or I are killed, or even harmed so badly we can't take care of him, will you do it? I know that you aren't his godmother or anything, and that the job should be given to Harry, or Pansy, but they have enough on their plates without having to look after a baby as well. And you're constantly around my parents, and you've met Narcissa. Anyway, Harry or Pansy could be done away with too, so the only logical conclusion would be you-" Kaz stopped Hermione from what she was rambling on about with a hand over her mouth.

"Hermione, of course I will take care of him if anything happens to you two. I wouldn't think anything of it. I'll make sure he grows up knowing his grandparents and aunts and all of his family. And if this Dark Lord guy wins, then I will take him out of the country and away from where he can reach. I promise to take good care of him. I'll treat him as my own." Kaz vowed. Hermione burst into tears then and jumped up, wrapping the other girl in a huge hug, crying earnestly into her shoulder. Draco stood behind Hermione and rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

Once Hermione had stopped crying, her and Kaz sat back down on the swings, Hermione on Draco's lap. Then, Draco came up with an idea.

"Hermione, you know how it would be a bad idea for us to know where they were going?" He asked. Hermione looked at him with her brows furrowed.

"Yes, that would be a bad idea, know that I think about it. What of it?" She pressed. Draco swallowed.

"Why don't they use a portkey? Made by Dumbledore, because he's the only person I know that can make them, that way he would be the only person that knows, and the Dark Lord would never go up against him, so it would be the ultimate protection." He suggested. Hermione thought it over, then beamed, and kiss him fiercely, which, of course, he returned.

Then Hermione pulled away and he frowned. Hermione laughed lightly at his expression.

"That's brilliant! No one would know! Other than Dumbledore! We would be relatively safe, and considering neither of us knows Occlumency, our family would be safe too! It's perfect!" Hermione cried and hugged him tightly. Draco grinned.

"I'm always full of brilliant ideas." He answered, wiggling his eyebrows. Hermione scowled and hit him on the arm, a faint patch of blush shining on her cheeks. The blush faded from Hermione's cheeks and her scowl deepened as she turned around towards Kaz. Although, her gaze was directed to a spot over her shoulder, more than to the girl herself.

Draco frowned.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked, trying to follow her gaze.

"Lavender and Parviti," was Hermione's only answer. Draco suddenly caught wind of what she was talking about and spotted the two not too many metres away, but far enough a way that they couldn't tell that the trio were sitting there.

"Brown and Patil?" Kaz asked, turning around and seeing the two walking closer the entire time. Draco looked at Kaz in confusion.

"You know them?" He questioned. Kaz nodded, a sour look her face.

"Unfortunately. She's lived here for a while. But not longer than Hermione or I have." She answered. Draco nodded and turned back to watching them advance.

"If we're lucky, they won't see us." Hermione muttered. Draco snorted.

"Those two have ears and eyes like hawks. I'm amazed they haven't seen us yet." He commented. It was Hermione's turn to snort now.

"They're probably too wrapped up in what they are talking about to notice us." She replied. Draco nodded. Just as she said that, though, Lavender's head shot up and they made eye contact. Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine.

"How did she know I was talking?" She hissed, as Parviti and Lavender made their way towards the group of three.

"I'm not quite sure. She seems to have super hearing." He muttered back, Kaz snorted.

"The only person I know with super-hearing is my mother. And that would be the reason why I never stay there often. They find out something I've done and I get into trouble for it." She put in. Draco laughed.

"All the time?" He asked. Kaz nodded.

"Unfortunately." She replied.

"Hermione, Draco, how are you?" Lavender called, quickly approaching them.

Hermione and Draco waited until they were closer to answer her.

"Hello Lavender, Parviti. How are you?" Hermione asked politely.

"Absolutely brilliant Hermione. What brings you to a small town like this?" Parviti asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I live here." She answered. Parviti and Lavender laughed.

"You don't live here. I do. I would've seen you around by now." Lavender replied. Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"You aren't the only one allowed to live here. I've actually been here my entire life. I was born in the hospital just over a couple of streets away." She explained.

"You can't have; again, I would've seen you before now." Lavender reiterated. Hermione sighed.

"Lavender, we go to the same school, at the same time. And I'm usually only here for a week on holidays before going to Ron's house for Christmas and such. Of course you won't have seen me. And I went to Primary School. You didn't." She explained. Lavender didn't look convinced.

"I don't believe you." She stated. Kaz snorted. Lavender gave her a "who-do-you-think-you-are" look. Kaz looked up, slightly scaring the blonde girl with her dark eye make-up, blood red lips and pale skin, which contrasted drastically to her black hair, with brilliant red streaks through it.

"I'm Kaz. How do you do?" She asked, a devious smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. Lavender just stared at her before turning back to Hermione.

"Does she always look like that?" She whispered. Hermione and Draco laughed.

"Yes." They both answered. Parviti and Lavender took a step back from the scary looking girl, who was now openly smirking at them, before turning her head down again to study her long, black nails.

"So, where is your "Child"?" Parviti asked. Hermione smiled.

"I don't quite know. The Ministry made us give him in after school ended to go to a Foster Family who would love him." Hermione made up off the top of her head. Draco's face suddenly went blank, and Hermione discreetly took his hand. Kaz looked up at them curiously, before catching the drift, and turning back to her nails.

"Oh no, and you two were so attached to that screaming little monster. He was cute though, I can't begrudge him that." Lavender added. Draco's hand tightened on Hermione's, and she could almost feel his eyes burning holes in Lavender's head. Kaz was watching the two sides with interest; her nails long forgotten.

"Yes, we rather were attached to him. When you look after a baby, act like their parents for even a few months, you began to love them like they're your own." Hermione explained, trying to tell Draco with her voice, not to say anything. He got her warning, but he wanted to say something anyway, just to shut them up.

"You know, this has been great and everything, but I think we need to get home, Hermione. We have a lot of things to do, and quite frankly, I don't trust your sisters not to burn the house down." Draco interrupted in a pained voice. Hermione got up immediately, quickly followed by Kaz, who was watching the young man with worry in her eyes.

"Come on then Draco. Quite frankly I agree with you. Haylee and Casey wouldn't know what to do if a fire started in our house, probably just run around screaming and worrying about their precious technology." Hermione snorted. Kaz smirked again.

"That would be a sight to see. You could fix it if it burnt down, couldn't you Hermione?" The black haired girl asked. Hermione frowned at her.

"No, I couldn't. Come on, we better go. Lavender, Parviti; I might see you around. Though, probably not." Hermione added. The trio walked off, and Hermione had the distinct feeling she was being followed. And she knew just by whom.

When she got to her house, and Draco and Kaz were inside, before she closed the door, Hermione turned and blew a kiss at Lavender and Parviti and twinkled her fingers at them.

When they got in the door, Draco went straight to the fireplace to call his mother, and Kaz went to sit on the couch. Hermione, though, was the only one who noticed the snowy owl that was Hedwig sitting on the window sill outside.

She went to let the poor bird in, and Hedwig flew straight onto the kitchen table. Excitedly, she pulled the letter away from the owl's leg and got some owl treats for her from the cupboard.

Hermione went back into the living room, where Kaz was still sitting, waiting for Draco to return. It only took a second, and soon he was standing behind as she sat on the couch.

Hermione opened the letter and started to read it aloud.

_Dear Hermione and Draco,_

_I understand your plight. I'll go into the Ministry with dad and Sirius tomorrow and see what I can do. I'm not promising anything; they are hard-arses after all. _

_I'll see you in a couple of days._

_Love Harry and Sierra. _

Hermione squealed and Draco smiled brilliantly. With this letter, Hermione and Draco went to bed happy that night.

* * *

**A/N: Here are you amazing people that I want to thank!**

**LibraryChild**

**The Silver-Eyed Malfoy**

**.SeDuCtIvE**

**WAchick**

**David Fishwick**

**Rosepraul (Thanks for the review! Glad to know you've been looking out for it!)**

**mygirl756**

**Thanks to all of you! You make my day! Look out for the next chapter, it's called, "Success." **

**Sarah xo. **


	3. Success

**A/N: I am so sorry that this chapter took so long to come up. I've had it done for a couple of days, but my internet wasn't working, and then I got really involved in Matthew Reilly's Five Greatest Warriors. An amazing, fast-paced book, I recommend you ll read it, it's absolutely brilliant. And then my love life went down the tube, and now I'm trying to fix it, so I've spent some time moping too. **

**So, once again, I am sorry that it took so long! But please enjoy it now!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that you may recognise from the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, and I also do not own Matthew Reilly or his works. **

**Chapter 3 - Success**

**Wednesday, June 5****th**

Two days after meeting with Lavender and Parviti in the park, Hermione and Draco woke up to find Hedwig tapping on the window with her beak, a letter tied to her leg. Draco got up and opened the window, letting Hedwig fly in and land on the bed softly beside Hermione.

He took the letter from her leg and climbed back into bed, reading the letter out to her.

"_Dear Hermione and Draco,_

"_I was able to speak with the Ministry the day I got your letter, and I have spent that day and yesterday arguing well into the night with them. I'm glad your letter was oddly formal, because I had to bring it in as evidence. Although, knowing you Hermione, you knew this would happen. _

"_I won't bore you any longer with what happened, I'll just tell you that I won the case and that you can now practice freely within the confines of your home, and with Kaz in the vicinity, watching, while taking care of Scorpius. A thank you would be nice for all of my efforts, too, you know. Just kidding, I was glad to help. _

"_I'll see you guys soon,_

"_Harry."_

Hermione squealed and hugged Draco around the neck.

"Yes! That's brilliant!" She cried. Draco hugged her back and gave her a huge kiss, which was about to amount to something more when Scorpius woke up and started crying. Hermione sighed and got up, and went to get her son out of his crib.

"Hush baby. Why are you crying at this time of the morning? It's not very good, is it?" Hermione cooed. Draco smiled lightly as he watched Hermione feeding their son.

Soon after the got up and had breakfast, Hermione called Kat and told her the brilliant news. Kat squealed and was at Hermione's house in minutes.

"Kat, can you help us clean out the attic? We're going to use that space to practice in." Hermione explained.

"Sure. Are we going up now?" Kat asked. Hermione nodded and the trio + baby walked up the stairs to a dead end hallway. Hermione reached up and pulled down a piece of string that Draco hadn't even known was hanging there. Once the string was pulled, out of the ceiling fell a step ladder, leading up into a huge attic space.

Hermione climbed up the ladder first, after passing her son off to his father, with Kaz following after. Once Hermione had taken Scorpius back, Draco himself climbed up the stairs and into the massive area that was Hermione's attic. Draco gawped at the room around him, seeing things covered in cloths, and others that were piled in boxes, and some that were just lying around on the floor, but all were covered in a thick layer of dust.

"What is all this stuff?" He asked. Hermione smiled lightly around at the room before her.

"It's all the stuff that we don't use anymore, or don't have space for in the house. We're going to have to clean up a major part of it. There isn't much room up here to even walk around." She commented. Draco frowned.

"How are we going to move all of this stuff?" He asked. Hermione shot him a look.

"We can use our wands now, remember?" She reminded him.

"I knew that." He defended. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Sure you did." She answered, pulling her wand out of her back pocket and waved it around in a way that showed her thinking, a pout on her lips and her eyebrows furrowed.

She started swishing her wand, whispering spell after spell under her breath and moving things out of her way, removing the dust from them after doing so. Draco joined in soon after she started, and, together with Kaz moving what she could, a clean area was created in the middle of the room, with Scorpius being asleep the entire time.

Hermione smiled at their handiwork before turning the grin on her son, who was squirming in his sleep. She passed the small boy over to Kaz and sent a spell down the stairs. Draco looked at her quizzically.

"What did you do?" He asked, just as both his and Hermione's robes flew into the attic. He nodded with an understanding look on his face. "Oh." Hermione smiled and nodded.

"Okay, Kaz, can you stand over there by the rest of the stuff. I think there's a chair over there that you can sit on." Hermione suggested. Kaz nodded and walked back to the pile of stuff that was towered against the wall. In front of her son and Kaz, Hermione and Draco started putting up wards that would stop the two of them from getting hurt.

After they finished, Hermione stepped back and looked at thoughtful at the area around Kaz and Scorpius.

"How are we going to test it?" Draco asked. Hermione frowned.

"The only way I can think of is to fire a couple of spells off around them." She muttered back.

"I can hear you, you know, and that doesn't exactly sound too safe." Kaz answered. Hermione smiled at her and shook her head.

"We aren't firing them at you, and even if you get hit, it will only be a tickling charm." She reassured. Kaz frowned, but nodded, and Hermione fired off some carefully aimed spells, each one, more dangerous, bounced off the shield in front of them.

"Good, that works." Hermione announced proudly. Draco smiled at her, and pulled on his robes. Hermione noticed and mimicked the action.

"Alright, so, what are the conditions?" Hermione asked as she put her hair up in a ponytail. Draco thought for a second, before coming to a conclusion.

"Anything goes, except Unforgivables and Dark magic." He answered. Hermione nods.

"Well, that's a given. Does that include Animagi too?" She asked. Draco raised an imperious eyebrow at her.

"You're an animagus?" He asked. Hermione smirked.

"Looks like you have a lot to learn, Mr. Malfoy." She replied.

"What are Unforgivables?" Kaz asked suddenly, making both Hermione and Draco jump. Hermione was the one who replied.

"They are spells that are banned in Wizarding society. They either don't let you think for yourself, torture you, or kill you. Only Death Eaters use them." She answered.

Kaz looked a bit shocked.

"What? But that's horrible." She whispered back to them. Draco nodded grimly.

"Unfortunately, they enjoy using them." He replied. Kaz grimaced and looked away.

"That's so horrible." She muttered. Hermione nodded sadly.

"I know, but that's life for us. We just have to try and keep away from them until the Final Battle." She commented. Kaz nodded.

"Do you have to learn that type of thing too? Killing people?" She asked. Draco laughed mirthlessly.

"If we did that we would only be stooping to their level. We will fight them without the use of Unforgivables." He answered. Kaz looked a bit relieved.

"Now Kaz, you won't hear us saying the spells aloud, and that's because we will be using non-verbal spells. It means that we say the spells in our heads, and they still work." Hermione explained. Kaz nodded and waved her hand.

"Go on then, I want to see this." She answered. Hermione smiled and nodded, before her and Draco turned towards each other, bowing slightly, before taking up their duelling positions. Draco smirked at her.

"You ready for this, Granger?" He asked. Hermione grinned back.

"Only if you are, Malfoy." She answered, and then Draco shot the first curse, which Hermione quickly blocked. The rest of the two hours was spent in a similar way, each blocking their opponents' curses and throwing their own in too. The pair used every means available to them to be able to know what the other was up to, or to block what was thrown at them.

Sometimes, one would yell a spell to confuse the other, who was expecting a non-verbal one, or turn into their animagi in an instant to be able to dodge what was thrown their way. They would transfigure objects into barricades, and even hide behind chairs or couches to hide from oncoming attacks.

With baby Scorpius sound asleep in her arms, Kaz watched the duo fight it out in utter amazement. She had never seen anything like this.

After the two hours was up, Hermione bought herself some time by sending a particularly nasty stinging hex at Draco before sending up red sparks into the air and shouting, "Time out!" Draco stopped and lowered his wand, putting his hands on his knees and doubling over, panting. Hermione joined him, before they lowered the wards surrounding Kaz and Scorpius.

Once the wards were lowered, Kaz applauded the pair as well as she could with Scorp in her arms, and, smiling, the pair bowed to each other, and then to Kaz in mock appreciation. Hermione went over to Kaz and took her son from the other woman's arms.

"That was absolutely amazing. I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing that." Kaz admitted. Hermione and Draco smiled.

"You'll get used to it, don't worry." Draco answered. "Now, how about some lunch? I'm starving." Hermione and Kaz laughed, but couldn't help but agree with him.

When the trio + baby got downstairs and into the kitchen, they made themselves some sandwiches for lunch, and were happily chomping on them when the doorbell rang. They ignored it for the moment, because Hermione had heard Casey and Haylee running for it, thinking it was one of their friends.

Draco heard a distinctive groan as they opened the door, though, and his suspicions were confirmed when he heard Casey call out for Hermione. Hermione herself groaned and rolled her eyes.

"I wonder who that is." She muttered, getting up and passing Scorpius to Draco, who promptly passed him off to Kaz and followed Hermione out into the hall.

"Who is it?" Hermione called back to her sisters.

"Some people from your wacked out school." They called back. Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. She walked up to the front door with Draco in tow and looked on with shock to see Parviti and Lavender standing at the door, glaring at her older sisters. All of a sudden, as if coming back from her senses, she began to narrow her eyes at them in suspicion. Draco, sensing her suspicion, put his hand on her back.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. Lavender and Parviti exchanged nervous glances with each other.

"We need to find out a couple of things from you. Like, what's going to happen to your family when the battle begins?" Lavender answered bravely. Anyone else would have run in the opposite direction at Hermione's glare.

The girl in question sighed.

"Follow me." She instructed, turning on the spot and stalked back into the kitchen, with Draco hot on her heels, leading the two guests behind them.

As they entered, Kaz nodded to them, and they nodded back.

"Sit down. Make yourselves comfortable." Hermione instructed again, before taking a seat herself on the other side of Draco.

"Now, what exactly did you want to know?" She asked. This time it was Parviti who answered.

"What's going to happen to your family when the ballet begins?" Hermione sighed, closing her eyes.

"I have decided to send my family members and Kaz to another country by portkey when the time comes. I'm going to ask Dumbledore to make the portkey, because a) I don't know how, and b) they at the least risk if I don't know where they are." Hermione answered their question. The two girls nod, thinking this plan over when Hermione hears two throats simultaneously clearing themselves.

"Excuse me? Who said we would let you send us away to God knows where, in something called a 'portkey'?" Haylee asked.

"You have to go. You aren't being given a choice." Hermione stated calmly. The twins scowled furiously.

"We don't have to do anything you tell us to, you stupid little girl!" Casey screamed. Hermione stood up.

"I'm doing this for your protection!" She fought back. Haylee laughed like a hyena.

"Ha! Like you would want to protect us! You're probably doing away with us without our knowledge so you won't have to put up with us!" She argued. Now Hermione was fuming.

"If I wanted to do away with you, I would have done it long ago! But if you stay here, then I won't be the one to do it!" She yelled back. Draco now took the opportunity to intervene.

"Look, stop the stupid fighting," He yelled over the top of the screaming voices of protest. "I'm going to put this to you cold, and hard. You are a target to Death Eaters because you are Hermione's sisters, her _family_. If they get to you, they will torture you, and kill you to get information on anything to do with her. You saw the scar on Hermione's stomach," He pointed out and the girls went pale. "Well, for you it would probably be ten times worse. You put too much faith in being Muggle. You will have to help look after Scorp for us." Draco ended.

The two girls remained pale after Draco had finished his little speech and were silent for a couple of minutes also. The five people in the room with them waited for their answer.

"Okay. We'll go. And we'll take care of Scorpius for you." Haylee answered, and the two walked out of the room, leaving the group to their previous discussion.

"Scorpius? I thought you didn't have him anymore?" Lavender asked. The whole way through the discussion, Kaz had kept the youngest Malfoy under the table, resting on her knees.

"Like we were going to tell you out in public that we still had him. And if you so much as whisper his name outside of your houses, then I will personally come and rip you limb from limb, do you understand?" Draco threatened, stalking slowly towards them menacingly. The girls nodded, both with fear in their eyes, and backed into the table.

Hermione put her hand on her fiancée's arm.

"Calm down Draco. They wouldn't be that stupid." She cut in. Draco nodded and Parviti and Lavender left.

"Come on; let's go back up to the attic. We should work on perfecting our spells." She soothed. Draco nodded once again, and all three plus Scorpius went back upstairs to the attic, and set up the wards again.

The duo started with some of the simpler spells, and perfected them, before working their way up the difficulty ladder. Hermione had set up a dummy, and they were firing their spells at it.

Hermione and Draco stopped their practice after Kaz called out the time, and realised that they had to have a shower before dinner. So, they put everything away, and took down the wards again. Draco took Scorpius into his arms this time around, and they yet again made their way down the pull-down step ladder.

The group shared a brilliant dinner of hand-made hamburgers, and chatted away almost happily, with only a few minor incidents (Scorpius had woken up and demanded food, and then Kaz spat her drink all over Casey when she was listening to Mr. Granger telling a joke. Let's just say that didn't go down well.). During dinner, though, Hermione and Draco had decided to tell her parents about the "War plan", as it had been dubbed.

So, dinner finished and Hermione and asked her parents to stay behind. Haylee and Casey had complained, of course, but had left at Hermione's urging.

"So, dear, what did you want to talk about?" Mrs. Granger asked. Hermione and Draco looked at each other, before she swallowed.

"Please don't tell us you are pregnant again." Mr. Granger pleaded. Draco started choking and Hermione glared at her father. Kaz was trying to hold in hysterical laughter and Mrs. Granger had just raised an eyebrow at the couple. Hermione hit Draco on the back a couple of times, and waited until he was breathing properly again, before announcing what she wanted to say.

"Draco and I have realised that it wouldn't be safe for any of my family members to be in the country when the Final Battle begins. So we've asked Kaz to take you two, Haylee, Casey and Scorpius somewhere else; a place we won't know about, because we're going to ask Dumbledore to make a portkey, because we don't know another person that can, and he's the most trustworthy." Hermione stated, and all in a single breath. Luckily for Hermione's parents, they both heard exactly what their daughter was saying, and frowned.

"Hermione, you should know that we can take care of ourselves." Mr. Granger retaliated. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to figure out how to say what she wanted to nicely, but Draco bet her to it.

"Mr. Granger, that's just the thing. You won't be able to protect yourselves against these people. Not even our people can do that successfully, and we have magic. They are ruthless, kill without a second thought and have fun with their prey alone the way. You've seen the scar on Hermione's stomach, they can do so much worse than that, and they will. You are related to Hermione, and though they don't know about Scorpius yet, they will still come to you for information, and they will get it out of you any way that they can. You have to believe me, you're better off out of the country." Draco explained. Mr. and Mrs. Granger took all of this in, looking conflicted.

"We don't want to leave you to face this by yourselves, Hermione. And what if Scorpius needs you?" Her mother asked. Hermione smiled slightly.

"You'll just have to take over for me mum. We will miss you all, but this is for the best, you know that, right? We wouldn't just send you away without reason." Hermione answered.

"But, what if. . ." Mrs. Granger started to say, but Hermione cut her off, tears in her eyes.

"We've already sorted that out too, mum. Kaz is going to look after Scorp if anything happens to us. As much as I trust Harry and Pansy, I don't want Scorp growing up in the Wizarding World until all of this has passed. And by then he'll probably be of age to go to Hogwarts." Hermione answered. Mrs. Granger started all out weeping then. Hermione gave Scorpius to Draco as she saw her mother get out of seat to give her a massive hug.

"Oh my girl, why was this put on your shoulders?" She cried. Hermione laughed a little as tears slid silently down her face.

"I chose this mum, nobody forced me into it. I told Harry I'd be in it until the end, and so I will." She answered.

"We'll go; if that is what you think is best." Mr. Granger agreed with a sigh. Hermione let go of her mother and stood to hug her father.

"It really is daddy, at least now I'll be able to fight knowing that you are safe." She answered. Mr. Granger nodded and hugged her back tightly.

"Did you agree to this already Kaz?" Hermione's mum asked. Kaz nodded.

"Yeah, we talked about it a couple of days ago. I said I would help in any way I could." She replied. Mrs. Granger nodded and hugged her as well; before Draco gave Scorpius to Kaz and Mrs. Granger took Draco into her arms last.

"You take good care of my baby girl, you hear?" She forced. Draco smiled lightly at her and nodded.

"Of course I will. I'd lay down my own life for Hermione." He answered. Mrs. Granger gave him a watery smile and hugged him tightly to her, making him slightly awkward.

"My gosh, look at the time. We better get to bed, we have training tomorrow morning. Good night mum, dad." Hermione announced, kissing both of her parents on the cheek. "Are you staying the night Kaz?"

The black haired girl nodded.

"Of course I am. I wanna be there to watch you train." She said with a smile. Hermione smiled back and took Scorpius back from her.

"We better get going. Thanks for being so understanding." Hermione said to her parents. They just smiled back.

"If you think it best when it comes to your world, well, then, who are we to say no." Mrs. Granger answered. Hermione smiled at them again, and the trio + baby walked up the stairs to have a fitful nights rest.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys! How are you doing? lol. Sorry. Anyway, here are my wonderful reviewers, alerters and favouriters.**

**edwardxxxbella (for favouriting 'A Malfoys Curse' and 'Their Final Battle')**

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**Thanks guys! You all make my miserable days shine! I love you all so much! Thanks heaps.**

**Sarah xo. **


	4. Distressing News

**A/N: Hello everyone! I'm sorry this took so long to come out. I've had so much shit going on in my life at the moment, so everything got momentarily put on hold. But I told you this chapter would be out before Christmas! How awesome am I! I am so thankful to everyone who has kept up with my erratic updating, and, unfortuantely, I don't think it's going to get any better. I must warn you though, I'm going to be in Sydney for a week during January, so there won't be any updating then, and I have friends coming over to my house after that. My life is just so busy! Lol. **

**Again, thanks to everyone!**

**And now, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you may recognise from the Harry Potter Universe. That is all the work of the amazing J.. **

**Chapter 4 - Distressing News**

**Sunday, June 9****th**

As promised, Hermione and Draco spent the week practicing, training and refining their skills. Kaz watched every day, sometimes with Scorpius in her arms, and sometimes without him, when he would spend some quality time talking about clothes and boys with his aunts. By the end of the week, Kaz even had a signal, for when Scorpius needed his mother or father, and the twins never took the baby out of the house.

During that week, Hermione and Draco had sent letters to Harry, asking the type of spells they should be learning and refining, so they would be ready for when they got to Grimmauld place.

It was now Sunday, and Kaz had decided that all work and no play was not fun for anyone.

"We have to do something else, just for today. Just to wind down, you know?" She pointed out. Draco sighed and then smiled.

"How about we go to the movies then? That was rather fun last time we went, with the exception of Dudley." He added. Hermione nodded.

"Alright, come on then. Draco and I will get changed and then we'll go." She agreed. The trio walked down the stairs and Draco and Hermione went into their room to get changed, while Kaz went down into the living room to wait for them. When they came down, Draco threw some floo powder into the fireplace and called for his mother.

"Mother!" He yelled. Narcissa stuck her head through the fireplace.

"Yes, dear?" She asked. Draco smiled.

"Can you look after Scorpius for the day? We're going into town." He asked. Narcissa smiled gleefully.

"Of course I can! Oh this is brilliant! I'll be right through." She answered quickly. Hermione smiled at the excitement in her future-mother-in-law's voice.

Narcissa stepped quickly through the fire and took Scorpius from Kaz.

"How long do you need me to keep him for?" She asked. Hermione thought about it before answering.

"We'll contact you when we get back. It should only be three hours, three and a half at the most."

Narcissa nodded, before kissing Hermione and Draco on the cheek and nodding to Kaz.

"I'll see you all when you get back then, won't I?" She answered kindly, before vanishing through the green flames of Hermione's fireplace.

"Shall we go then?" Draco asked, grabbing his jacket off the coat hook in the hallway. Kaz and Hermione followed, yelling a good bye to her parents as they walked out the door.

As the trio walked to the movie theatre, they talk about all random stuff, like food, and clothes, and generally being happy in each others presence. As they walked, Hermione and Draco had their arms around each other, smiling from ear to ear, and kissing each other every so often. Kaz threw dirty looks at them every time it happened, but it just egged Draco on further.

By the time they actually got to the theatre, they faced the dilemma of finding a movie to watch.

"Which one? I mean, I don't see anything particularly inviting." Kaz asked, looking at them board that showed the movies showing and their times. Hermione came up beside her and frowned at the sheet.

"What about Underworld? I've heard that's really good." She suggested. Kaz threw her a look over her shoulder.

"How could have heard it was any good? You've been in Hogwarts all year! I doubt you've been able to read anything about movies." She argued. Hermione hit her arm.

"I was reading a magazine the other day between training, thank you very much and they said that it was a good movie to go see. Full of action, adventure and thrills." She explained. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"And we don't see enough of that in our daily lives." He muttered in return. Hermione frowned.

"It also has vampires, werewolves, or Lycans, and a good deal of bloodshed and gore, Draco." She expanded. Draco grinned.

"I'm game, are you?" He asked the girls. Said girls rolled their eyes.

"Of course we are!" They answered together. Draco laughed and they went to buy their tickets at the booth. The movie started in fifteen minutes, so they went in to find their seats among the crowds of people, eventually finding some free chairs up the back.

The movie lasted a couple of hours, and they came out bearing smiles and talking excitedly about the plot, characters and special effects. Draco found all of it quite interesting.

"It never ceases to amaze me that muggles can produce that." He whispered. Hermione and Kaz looked at each other.

"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment, or an offense." Kaz commented. Hermione snorted.

"Take it as a compliment, it'll be easier." She answered. Draco rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her from behind as they walked, but soon reverted to standing beside her with his arm along around her waist. But, as luck would have it, they weren't going to get off so easily today.

"What are you lot doing here?" A familiar voice interrupted from behind them, and they turned to see Casey and Haylee standing in line at the register. Hermione groaned.

"We went to see a movie." Draco answered.

"Well, should you really be outside the house if you're really being hunted down be angry, aggressive, evil men." Haylee whispered to them. Hermione sighed.

"We can go wherever we want. It's not our fault that we are being chased, and we're going to live our lives as normally as possible." Hermione answered. Haylee looked at her suspiciously.

"You still shouldn't be out. What if something happens while you're away from the house? Or something happens to S- the boy?" She saved. Hermione shot her a warning look.

"He's safe, now stop talking. I'll see you two at home." She answered. Haylee and Casey nodded, but didn't look too happy about the circumstances. Hermione looked less than impressed too, and so did Draco. Kaz looked thoughtful.

"I didn't know they cared about my well-being so much." Hermione muttered. Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him.

"At least they are trying to be nice in their own special way. Though I'm a little stunned also. Maybe the scar on your stomach got through to them." He mentioned, but as the subject of her scar came up, Draco tensed and his face went stonily blank. Hermione looked up at him in sadness.

"It wasn't your fault, you know. The only person that can be blamed is Lucius, and maybe my sisters for provoking me. Please don't block me off." She pleaded. Draco looked down at her anguished face and sighed, before kissing her on the forehead and remaining silent.

"They really do seem to have had a change of heart." Kaz pointed out, bringing them back to their original conversation.

"Kind of. I mean, they never really liked _him_ when I brought him home, and now they seem to have taken a liking to being overprotective parents of some sort. It's all rather odd." Hermione commented.

The trio was silent for the rest of the walk home, thinking about the twins' reactions, and guilt.

As they walked in the door, Draco noticed a school owl sitting on the window sill, and went over to let it in. The bird flew over to the kitchen table and held out its leg.

"I wonder who it's from." Hermione muttered. Draco took the letter off the bird's leg and unfolded it, while Hermione got some owl treats and petted its head. The owl didn't take off, so they suspected the sender wanted a reply.

"It's from Snape." Draco announced in surprise. Hermione looked over Draco's shoulder, confused and Kat looked at the both of them in wonderment.

"Isn't he the arsewhole that made your education hell?" She asked. Hermione frowned.

"Kinda." She answered.

"Well, what does it say?" Kaz asked in curiosity, looking over Draco's other shoulder as the boy sat at the kitchen table.

"_Draco,_

_I would like to make it known that your son may not stay safe, and neither will your fiancée if you don't do anything about it. You know that if the Death Eaters find out, then they will be the first to be taken down in the effort to get to Potter. You must think of something for them to be safe, because I do not feel like losing the boy and having to comfort you through if something tragic happens, do you understand? _

_Keep safe, all of you,_

_Severus Snape."_

"Well, that was very formal." Kaz commented.

"You should meet the man himself, he speaks with the biggest vocabulary ever." Hermione suggested. Kaz frowned.

"No, I don't think I want to. From that letter, I can tell that he isn't the nicest person in the world." She answered. Hermione laughed.

"Too right, but you could definitely hold your own, and he isn't that bad once you get used to him." Hermione answered. Kaz snorted.

"Sure, if you think so." Draco frowned.

"I better write back and tell him of our plans." He announced. He was still very much against himself, so he was keeping everything short and sweet.

"Make sure to put a spell on the letter, so only he can open it and read it." Hermione advised. Draco nodded and walked up to his shared room with Hermione. The girl herself frowned after him.

"He isn't going to be himself for a while, is he?" She asked. Kaz put her hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"He's still hurting Hermione. He blames himself entirely for that scar on your stomach. He thinks he should have followed you straight away, and pulled you back, or got to you quicker, or something. He feels so guilty." Kaz explained. She had always had good insight into others feelings.

Draco came down after a couple of minutes with the finished letter and tied it to the owl's leg, before taking it to the window and throwing it outside. Hermione's parents chose that moment to open the door and walk in the house.

"Hello?" Mrs. Granger called. Hermione answered.

"We're in the kitchen, mum!"

Mrs. Granger came in with a couple of bags, with her husband following after, clutching a couple more.

"What on earth is all this?" Hermione asked. Mrs. Granger smiled as she set everything on the kitchen table.

"Well, I dragged your father out for a bit of London shopping today, and I had a grand old time buying Christmas presents, and birthday presents and the like." She announced. Hermione noticed that her father looked less than happy about his day.

"Mother! Christmas is half a year away! You don't need to buy for that yet!" She exclaimed. Kaz was giggling at the pair, and Draco was smiling slightly, despite hid momentary depression. The sight of mother and daughter bickering was fun for the both of them to watch; even Hermione's father was watching on with a smile tugging at his lips.

"I've always bought the Christmas presents early, Hermione. You've just never noticed because you've been at the Burrow, or I haven't told you." Mrs. Granger replied to Hermione's statement, and Hermione felt instantly morose, realising that she did, indeed spend a lot of time at the Weasley's amazing house, and not much time with her parents anymore.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to neglect you." She mumbled. Mrs. Granger laughed lightly, and wrapped her arms around her daughter before pulling back and rubbing her hands up and down Hermione's upper arms.

"Oh, sweety, if we didn't think it was the right thing for you, we wouldn't have let you go, but you belong in that world, and so it was the right thing for us to do. So what if you haven't spent much time with your boring parents, no teenager wants to spend amazing amounts of time with their families, and I don't blame you for wanting to get rid of your sisters at times, I want to get away from them too, sometimes, and so does your father, so don't beat yourself up about it." She lectured, pulling Hermione into a hug, and cradling her against her chest, smiling.

Mr. Granger cleared his throat, and the two broke apart, looking at him with identical looks of interest on their faces.

"How about we get ready to go out for dinner tonight? That sounds fun, doesn't it?" He suggested. Kaz winked at him; a subtle hint that his subtlety was lacking, and the two women nodded.

"Yeah, that does sound like fun. Come on you two, let's go get changed." Hermione announced, and the two followed her upstairs, Kaz going to her guest room, and Draco and Hermione to their shared bedroom.

As soon as Draco shut the door behind her, Hermione turned around and captured his lips in a soft, sensual kiss. When she pulled away, Draco had her face in his hands, and she had her arms around his neck.

"What was that for?" He mumbled, moving his hands down to her waist slowly, and nipping at her neck. Hermione moaned.

"You really have to stop beating yourself up over what happened last holidays. I don't blame you for any of it, so you can't blame yourself either." She muttered, tilting her head to the side and back, to allow him more space. Draco sighed against her neck and looked up into her bright brown eyes, which had darkened with her desire for him.

"I can't help it. I keep thinking, that if I'd just been that little bit quicker off the mark, or if I'd gotten to you quicker-" Hermione cut him off with a quick kiss.

"It wouldn't have helped any. You did what you could, considering the circumstances. I'm just glad you came to get me. I love you Draco Malfoy, and I love our son, so stop all of this, and let us be happy." She instructed. Draco smiled down at her lightly, before nodding and once again capturing her lips.

The pair stood like that for a couple of minutes, just kissing each other sweetly, and murmuring sweet nothings in the others ear. They only stopped when they heard Kaz banging on their door.

"Come on you two! You still have to tell Mrs. Malfoy that she has to keep Scorp for a while longer because we're going out to dinner you know!" She yelled through the door, effectively ruining the mood. Draco chuckled as he watched Hermione look frustrated.

"We better get changed, and quickly." He mentioned.

"Yeah, we should." Hermione agreed with a sigh, and they both started getting changed; Hermione into a red and black corset top, that didn't show too much cleavage, and didn't come up high enough to show her belly button, with a pair of skinny grey jeans, and some low heeled boots that she pulled on.

Draco got dressed up in a black suit, that contrasted gorgeously with his pale skin and white blonde hair, with a black shirt, tie and leather shoes. Hermione applied the lightest touches of make up, grabbed jacket from her coat hook and they both headed down stairs, but right before they reached the bottom, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and spun her to land against his chest. She yelped in fright and he smirked down at her. Hermione's face softened and light up when she saw the desire smouldering in his eyes.

"We'll finish what we started up there later, without Kaz there to interrupt us." He murmured. Hermione smiled back up at him slyly, before nodding and pulling him down the rest of the stairs. When they got into the kitchen again, Haylee and Casey were there and dressed and ready to go.

"Do any of you have a piece of paper and a pen? I need to tell Narcissa to keep Scorpius for a bit longer because of our dinner plans." Hermione explained. Mrs. Granger pulled out a piece of paper from underneath the house phone and a pen and handed them to her daughter. Hermione wrote a quick letter apologising for the inconvenience and thanking her profusely. Draco snorted.

"Like she isn't going to love being able to keep him for longer." He commented. Hermione threw him a look and threw the paper into the emerald green flames, and followed her family out of the door.

"Won't your parents care where you are, Kaz?" Draco asked, Kaz snorted.

"As long as I tell them where I'm going, and if I'm staying the night, they don't particularly care." She answered. Draco frowned.

"But why don't they care? Shouldn't they at least care about your safety?" He asked. His father had been the same with him, when he was younger. He only had to tell Lucius he was going out, and the man wouldn't care what happened to him, as long as he came home. And if he came home with a broken and beaten and had disrespected the family name, he shouldn't have come home at all.

"Oh, they care alright; they just don't like to show it. Like, if I hurt myself, or something happens to me, they get worried sick, but most of the time, I only ever go out with Hermione, so nothing ever really happens to me." She cast Hermione a wicked smirk and Hermione hit her arm.

"You know exactly how much danger I can get myself into, Kaz, so don't you even try it with me." She warned. Draco smiled at the bickering friends and wrapped Hermione up into his arms.

"You're so gorgeous." He whispered, kissing her earlobe softly, making Hermione shiver.

"Thank you. You aren't so bad yourself." She muttered back, a smirk playing on the edges of her lips. Draco growled softly.

"I'll get you back for that." Hermione giggled and the car pulled up outside one of her favourite restaurants, The Red Rose. The family got out of the car, and made their way inside, sitting down in a booth and waiting for the waitress to come and give them a menu. It didn't take too long, and in a few minutes, all of them had ordered and conversation had started. They talked about what had happened at school that year with Hermione's parents, leaving out the visit from Lucius, and what they were doing during their training sessions in the attic.

During the conversation, Hermione noticed, in the far corner of the room, Lavender and her family plus Parviti, seated and talking quietly with one another. She also noticed that Parviti looked incredibly sad and lost.

Hermione pointed the small group out to Draco and Kaz, who look at Parviti with curiosity.

"I wonder what's wrong with her.' Draco muttered. Hermione shook her head.

"I would have no idea. And I don't really think it's our place to ask." She murmured in answer.

"What are you three talking about?" Mrs. Granger asked. Hermione turned to her mother and explained what they were talking about.

"You mean the Browns? I know that family. I best go over and say hello." Mr. Granger commented, before leaving the table. Hermione, Draco and Kaz watched as he walked over and shook hands with Mr. Brown, and kissed Mrs. Brown on the cheek.

"I best go over and be polite too. You five can stay here if you wish." Mrs. Granger suggested. Hermione, Draco and Kaz nodded. Haylee and Casey just shrugged.

"Better than going over there." They answered in unison. But, just as they finished, Lavender and Parviti caught sight of Hermione and her company, and made their way over after excusing themselves from their table. They both looked incredibly upset.

When they reached the small group at Hermione's table, Hermione shovelled over in the booth a bit and gestured for them to sit down.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Parviti fight back a sob and handed Hermione a letter, which she just noticed that she was carrying with her.

"Just read it. I don't want to explain." She whispered, silent tears flooding her eyes, and spilling over onto her cheeks. Lavender put her arm around her head and pulled her in for a comforting hug.

Hermione skimmed over the letter, with Draco and Kaz reading it over her shoulder. Draco's face changed in an instant from curious and concerned to stone blank, with fury smouldering in his eyes. Kaz looked at the girl with sadness and reached across the table to grab her hand. No matter what the girls had done to them in the past, no one should have to live through this alone.

"What's going to happen to you and Padma?" Hermione asked, quietly and hesitantly. Parviti looked up and sniffed, wiping the tears from her cheeks and eyes.

"I'm staying with Lavender, and Padma is staying with Lisa Turpin. Do you remember her?" She asked. Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, and nodded, gripping Draco's hand tightly under the table.

Hermione leaned over and wrapped the sorrow-filled girl in a warm, comforting hug, and Kaz and Draco mumbled condolences to her.

"I thought that you would like to know, just how close to home this war is coming, and how something needs to be done about it." Lavender spoke, a certain fire burning in her eyes, and brick wall separated her from the harshness of it.

"We're doing what we can, but it's harder than it looks for seventeen year olds, Lavender. We can not be blamed for what has happened." Hermione answered, suddenly on guard and stiff against Lavender's implied accusations.

"Yes, well, our world was under the impression that you and your friends were doing something about it. Come on, Parviti; let's get back to our table for dinner." Lavender shot a hateful look towards Hermione and Draco, and dragged a sorrowful and zombie-like Parviti along behind her. Hermione closed her eyes and put her head in her hands, feeling hot tears welling within them.

Draco looked down towards her and noticed her hard breathing. He motioned towards Kaz and the girl made her way to the other side of her, and put her hand on her back, bending her head to try and look into her eyes.

"Hermione? Come on; don't let that bitch get to you. The girls' parents' death had nothing to do with you and Harry and Ron. Everything's okay. Don't cry." Kaz whispered quietly, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

Draco pried Hermione's hands away from her face and held them in his. From across the table, they heard Haylee and Casey hiss.

"What?" Hermione asked, sniffing and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"I really want to hit the bitch in the face. How dare she blame you! That's our job! And doesn't she know what you've been through, trying to keep everyone alive? The stupid bitch knows nothing, so she has no right to point fingers. Why wasn't she there to help her friends parents when they were in need? You aren't even friends with them. You just share a dorm with them at school. That's hardly fair." Haylee spat. The three younger teenagers stared at the twins in amazement. Casey had been nodding her head along with Haylee's words, thoroughly agreeing with what her sister was saying.

Throughout the speech, Hermione's tears had all but dried up as she watched her sisters defend her; whether Lavender was sitting next to them or not. She was in shock. As was Draco and Kaz.

"Where did that come from?" Hermione asked quietly. Haylee shrugged, but it was Casey who answered this time.

"What? We aren't allowed to stick up for you now and then? When we believe it's worth it?" She asked in reply. Hermione just shook her head to clear it and answered.

"Of course you are. But, it's just strange. You've only ever been the people to bully me, not stick up for me." Kaz took Hermione's hand and gave it a squeeze, while Draco was sending death glares towards Lavender and her party.

"Hermione, look, it doesn't matter. There was no way you could have known about what was going to happen. Don't blame yourself. She just needs someone to blame." Kaz reassured. Hermione nodded in understanding, and leant against Draco's shoulder. Draco instantly, as if second nature, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her head.

"It's okay. You aren't to blame for any of this. Lavender's just an idiot." He muttered to her. Hermione nodded again and wiped her face of the wet feeling the tears had left behind.

"Why did they target Patil's parents, though?" Kaz asked. Hermione shook her head.

"They don't actually target anybody unless they've done something to specifically anger them. Parviti's parents where probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time." She answered. Kaz scowled.

"I get it, but that doesn't mean I like it." She muttered. Draco laughed harshly.

"If you liked it, Kaz, I'd have you committed." He shot at the girl. Kaz smirked at him.

"I'm sure you would, Draco. Is it really that simple though? Wrong place, wrong time?" She confirmed. Hermione nodded sadly, while Draco agreed bitterly.

"They don't particularly give a damn, as long as they don't kill purebloods." He replied.

"Well, that's stupid! It's bloody Hitler and the Nazi's all over again!" Haylee cursed, outraged. Hermione arched an amused eyebrow at her sister.

"I'm amazed you even know the Second World War happened, let alone what happened in it, Haylee." She commented. Haylee sniffed.

"Just because everyone thinks I'm a bimbo doesn't mean I'm not smart, _little_ sister." She snarked. Hermione chuckled lightly. They didn't get a chance to finish their conversation because Mr. and Mrs. Granger arrived back and their dinner arrived right on time. The family ate with very little talk that night. After hearing about what happened to Parviti's parents, both Hermione and Draco were anxious to get back to little Scorpius. Not that they didn't trust Narcissa, but they just wanted their son back in their arms.

After finishing the dinner, the Granger family plus the two extras left the restaurant and returned to the Granger's home. Kaz and Hermione immediately went upstairs, while Draco remained downstairs to floo over to his mothers' house to collect Scorpius. Kaz used her mobile phone, and called her parents, telling them that she was still staying at Hermione's house, while Hermione dragged a mattress and sleeping bag into her room for Kaz to sleep on. At the moment, she just wanted her family with her for the night.

Draco came back into the room about ten minutes later, carrying his sleeping son in his arms. Hermione and Kaz were already changed and in their beds.

"Here, you take him while I go get changed." Draco muttered to Hermione. Hermione nodded, and Draco kissed her forehead before walking into the bathroom adjoining Hermione's room. Hermione smiled at her son, before putting him under the covers, and going over to the desk under her window beside Scorps' crib.

"What are you doing?" Kaz asked. Hermione flashed her a glance as she wrote on a piece of parchment using her quill and ink.

"I'm telling Harry about what happened to Parviti and Padma's parents. He'll want to know." She answered. Draco came out as she finished talking, and took Scorp from his place on the bed and walking up behind his fiancée.

"Good idea, love." He commented. Hermione flashed him a small smile and finished up her letter, before waking Cardon from his cage and tying the letter to his leg.

"Take this to Harry." Hermione instructed. Hermione could have sworn she saw the owl nod, before she opened the window and watched it fly off. As she shut the window, Scorpius woke up and started to cry. Draco looked at him, a little worried. Hermione sighed and smiled softly at him.

"Give him here. He's hungry. Aren't you, baby? Aren't you?" She cooed. Draco rolled his eyes.

"You're going to turn the boy into a pansy." He murmured. Hermione poked her tongue out at him as she walked into the bathroom to feed her son. Draco smiled as he watched her walk away though. Kaz was laughing slightly.

"You two are really cute, you know." She commented. Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"Cute? I don't think I've heard that one before." He replied sarcastically. Kaz giggled.

"I'm sure you haven't." She answered. Hermione came out moments later, with a sleeping baby in her arms. Draco pulled back the covers of her bed and she crawled in beside him, still holding her baby.

"Aren't you going to put him in the crib?" Kaz asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No. I want to hold him tonight. I missed him while we were eating dinner. I wish we could take him with us." She muttered miserably, looking down at a sleeping Scorpius, completely oblivious to the world around him. She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead as she slid down to his eye level after placing him beside her on the bed. Draco, from the other side of Scorpius, kissed the top of her head and slid down too, wrapping an arm over Scorpius and around Hermione's waist. Hermione looked up at him with a sad expression.

"I wish we could too, love. I wish we could too." He replied. And that night, the three of them fell asleep as a family.

* * *

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	5. Quality Family Time

**A/N: Hey people! I hope you all had a fabulous christmas and New Years! I for one went to see Avatar, AND IT IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER!!!!!! Sorry, I love it now. My favourite movie of all time. Though, I still haven't seen Sherlock Holmes or The Lovely Bones. But I will soon! **

**I just wanted to get this chapter out before I head off to Sydney tomorrow, so, if I don't reply to your review, then it's because I won't be at home for a week, and I won't have the internet, apart from on my phone, but that's mega expensive, so I don't use it. **

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**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognise from the Harry Potter Universe. I make no money off my stories, and I'm pretty sure I never will. **

**Chapter 5 - "Quality Family Time" **

**Monday June 10****th**

That next morning, Draco was woken up to Hedwig tapping on the window, a letter tied to her leg. Making sure Hermione and his son were still asleep, he got up and opened the window, allowing the bird to fly in.

Hedwig landed on the desk just beneath the window, and held her leg out for Draco to take the letter. After discerning that the letter is, indeed from Harry, Draco walked over beside Hermione in the bed.

"Love, come on, we have a letter from Harry." He whispered, shaking her arm slightly, hoping to rouse her softly from her slumber. He heard her mumble and turn over to face him, burying her face into his leg. Draco smiled fondly at her, before kneeling down in front of the bed and kissing her lips sweetly. Hermione sighed and was woken by the slight pressure, returning the kiss instantly. When Draco realised she was awake, he broke the kiss off. Hermione smiled at him sleepily.

"Good morning, baby." She murmured. Draco smiled at her.

"Good morning, love." He replied, kissing her softly again.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked, her sleep addled brain not working properly yet.

"Seven." Draco answered. Hermione groaned and turned over again, towards Scorpius, and pulled him into her arms.

"Darling, we have a letter from Harry." Draco explained. Hermione turned over quickly, and stretched before holding her hand out for the letter.

"What does it say?" She asked. Draco shrugged and handed it to her.

"Not sure. I wanted to wake you so we could read it together. I'll wake up Kaz." He offered. Hermione opened the letter and swept her eyes through it quickly, while Draco knelt down beside Kaz and put his mouth close to her ear.

"BOO!" He yelled, and quickly out of the way, watching as she jumped about a foot in the air, and scowled at his laughter. Hermione rolled her eyes at her fiancée and frowned.

"Must you?" She asked. Draco nodded.

"Sorry Kaz, I couldn't resist." He apologised. Kaz just grumbled and got out of her sleeping bag and went to sit on Hermione's bed.

"So, why am I being woken up so early in the morning?" She asked. Draco nodded to the letter Hermione held out.

"Who's it from?" Kaz asked.

"Harry." Hermione answered, "Do you want me to read it out?" Draco and Kaz nodded.

"_Dear Draco and Hermione,_

_Please give Parviti our condolences, from everyone here. We are terribly sorry that we didn't know about this sooner. Even Snape didn't hear about it. _

_And don't worry about Lavender, like your friend Kaz said, she just wanted somebody to blame for her friends parents being taken from the world. Forget it. _

_Unfortunately our information isn't as good as we would like it to be. We only hear about the big operations, not the smaller, individual attacks. Most of those are done just because the Death Eaters feel like a bit of fun, unfortunately. _

_Sierra and I give our love,_

_Harry."_

Hermione looked up once she finished reading and sighed.

"There's not much we can do about individuals wanting to go out and "have a bit of fun"." Draco commented.

"I know there isn't. I just wish there was." Hermione lamented, Draco sat down on the bed on side he had slept on and picked up Scorpius, cradling him against his chest.

"Don't worry about it so much Hermione. There's nothing you can do about lunatics." Kaz added. Hermione smiled and nodded.

"No, there isn't." Not two seconds after Hermione agreed Kaz, Scorpius woke up and started crying. This time, Draco was more ready, and tried shushing him, when he caught a whiff of something and looked down at his son in disgust.

"That's gross Scorp." He commented. Hermione and Kaz laughed, but Hermione's laugh turned into a scowl when she saw Draco perform a cleansing spell in the baby.

"Draco, change his nappy properly, will you? They're down in the bottom draw." She points them out. Draco pulled a pleading expression on her; but Hermione would have none of it.

"Nope, you are changing his nappy, now." She added. Draco grimaced and carried the crying baby over to the changing table, which had been placed right beside the crib. Kaz laughs at him.

"Poor Draco, oh well, we're going down to breakfast. Feel free to join is when you're done." The girl taunted him. Draco stuck his finger up at her behind his back, and returned to changing his son.

When Hermione and Kaz got downstairs, Hermione's mother was already there and eating breakfast.

"Oh, good morning, girls. Where's Draco?" Mrs. Granger asked. Hermione and Kaz giggled a little.

"Scorpius decided to leave him a present. We left Draco to clean up." Kaz answered, a little evilly. Hermione's mother scowled at Kaz and Hermione, but before she could say anything else, Draco walked into the kitchen, carrying a now asleep Scorpius. Hermione smiled at him and kissed him lightly when he came into the room, but Kaz started eating, and Mrs. Granger looked at him with sympathy.

"It isn't very nice, is it?" She asked, placing a plate of pancakes on the table for him. Draco nodded in agreement.

"Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Granger." Hermione's mother just smiled and brushed his thanks off.

"Don't worry about it. I don't mind." She answered.

Half way through eating breakfast, Haylee, Casey and Hermione's father joined them all at the table.

"What are yo lot doing up so early? Did Scorpius wake you?" He asked, kissing Hermione on the head, and her mother on the lips.

"No, it wasn't Scorp. We got a letter from Harry this morning." Hermione explained. Her father nodded and sat down at the table. Haylee and Casey had already taken their spots and started eating.

"You know what; let's have quality family time today." Hermione's mother announced. Hermione started choking on her orange juice. Draco automatically started rubbing her back, helping her to breathe again.

"Don't you two have work?" She asked. Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled at each other, while her sisters rolled their eyes.

"You always forget the public holidays after you've been to Hogwarts, don't you, love?" Mrs. Granger replied. Hermione hit herself in the forehead.

"Of course. Sorry, stupid me." She answered. They just laughed.

"Can I stay, Mrs. Granger?" Kaz asked. Hermione's mum rolled her eyes.

"Like you'll leave anyway, Kaz. Of course you can stay. You're practically part of the family anyway." She answered. Kaz grinned and finished eating her breakfast.

"I think we should have showers first. I smell gross." Hermione commented, wrinkling her nose. Draco nodded in agreement. Mrs. Granger laughed again.

"You always smell Hermione." Casey snapped. Hermione pulled face at her older sister and got up out of her seat, Draco and Kaz following, with Scorp still in his father's arms.

"We'll be right down." Hermione announced, and then the four of them marched up the stairs. When they reached Hermione's room, Draco and Hermione went inside, and Kaz went to use the public, family shower. Once in his fiancée's room, Draco sat on the bed, a confused look on his face.

"What in the name of Merlin is "quality family time"?" He asked. Hermione laughed, walking around her room and collecting clothes for her shower.

"It's where we spend quality time with our family. Usually it's rather fun. We watch movies, and play games, that sort of stuff." She explained. Draco nodded slowly in understanding. Hermione walked over to the door that adjoined to her private bathroom, but not before giving Draco a soft, lingering kiss.

"You sure I can't have a shower with you?" He whispered huskily. Hermione bit her bottom lip and smiled.

"That's probably not a good idea. Maybe later." She promised. Draco groaned and raised one of his hands that weren't holding Scorpius on his lap up to her face so he could bring her head down for another kiss, this time a bit more passionate. When they broke off, both were panting for breath.

"I better go have that shower." She announced, breaking the silence. Draco scowled, but let her go.

"Hurry up then, because I have to have one too, you know." He called. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him from the doorway.

"Yes, oh bossy one." She answered. Draco scowled at her again, but she just smiled and poked her tongue out at him. To pass the time, Draco laid back on his and Hermione's bed, with his son resting on his chest and stroked his soft, white blond, whispy hair. With his other hand, Draco held Scorp into place, his hand resting on the babies back. After a while of stroking his hair, Draco switched to playing with his tiny fingers.

"Why are your fingers so small, hey? I don't think I've ever seen anything so small." Draco muttered, transfixed with the way Scorpius' tiny fingers would curl around his index finger.

Hermione walked out of the bathroom quietly to find Draco in that position on the bed, playing with Scorps fingers. She smiled fondly at the two of them bonding, even if one of them was asleep. Hermione cleared her throat softly, making herself known. Draco's head snapped around and he smiled when he saw her, momentarily taking his hand off Scorpius' back to pat the bed space beside him. Hermione smiled and made her way over.

"You know, you look really handsome there, holding Scorp like that." She whispered. Draco smiled at her, before looking back down at the sleeping baby on his chest.

"He's gorgeous, isn't he, asleep like that? It's times like this that make life worth living, I reckon." He murmured. Hermione nodded her head, amazed at his depth.

"You better go have a shower; they'll be waiting for us." She whispered in his ear. A shiver wracked up Draco's spine at the feeling of her breath tickling his ear.

"Yeah, I better." He muttered huskily. Hermione grinned, carefully picking up Scorp from his chest and wrapping the baby in her arms.

"I'm glad you agree. Scoot." She ordered. Draco groaned and got up from the bed. He kissed her teasingly, before grabbing a pair of slacks and a button up shirt from his trunk and making his way into the bathroom. Hermione smiled after him, even long after he had shut the door.

Now it was her turn to stare at her little bundle of joy. Hermione always loved looking at his little face, usually scrunched up, but sometimes, it would soften out, and, as disgusting as it was, she found the small bit of dribble that ran down his chin endearing. She carefully wiped the little bit of dribble off with her sleeve and smiled down at him softly. Everytime she looked at him, all she could think was, _"He is the most adorable baby in the world."_

Hermione, like Draco, sat with Scorp on the bed; the baby lying on his back, and Hermione sitting beside him. She played softly with his tiny fingers and feet, and smiling when he stirred softly.

Draco came out of the bathroom moments later, and found her giggling at the tiny baby on the bed.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." He murmured, moving beside her and wrapping her in a hug.

"What? Aren't I allowed to play with my son?" Hermione asked, smiling up at him. Draco could see her eyes lit up, and even the famed lights of Las Vegas couldn't compare to the beauty and brilliance he saw there.

"Of course you can. Come on, we better get down stairs. I'm betting they'll want to start whatever they've planned soon." He answered. Hermione nodded, and kissed him softly, before picking p Scorp and carrying him down the stairs, Draco in tow behind her. When they reached the bottom, they found everyone already seated in the Lounge Room.

"Take your time." Kaz commented as they sat down on the floor in front of the couch. Draco didn't look too happy about it, but he sat and shot Kaz a glare.

"Shut up, Kaz." He muttered. Kaz laughed.

"So what are we doing?" Hermione asked, looking to her parents, who were cuddled up together on the couch.

"We're going to be watching some movies. Why don't you choose one first." Mrs. Granger suggested. Hermione shrugged, before passing Scorpius over to Draco and going over to kneel in front of the DVD collection beside the TV. She perused the collection for a couple of moments, before pulling one out and putting it in the DVD player.

"Which one did you pick?" Casey asked, shuffling uncomfortably in her chair. Hermione grinned.

"You'll see." She answered, sitting back and relaxing against Draco's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her to him tightly. She turned and smiled to him, which he willingly returned, and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. His knees were in a 90 degree angle, and he had Scorpius leaning against them, hi little feet resting on Draco's chest, and his head against his knees. One of Draco's hands was holding the baby's arms, keeping him steady.

After selecting the language of the movie, the whole family plus Kaz settled in to watch "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". They all had a ball, laughing at the stupid jokes, and ridiculous situations. Once or twice, they nearly woke Scorpius, but every time, he went back into a deep sleep without any trouble, only waking once to be fed, and once to have his napper changed (Draco gave this one to Hermione).

After finishing watching "Monty Python", it was the twins turn to choose a movie. Kaz and Hermione shot each other an, "Oh God." look and waited until they saw what movie they were putting on. Hermione groaned when the start came on. She'd seen this movie so many times that she could practically say the lines of the movie with the characters. Kaz had seen it just a little less than her, and so it took her a little longer to figure it out. Draco shot them both confused looks.

"What?" He asked cautiously. Hermione frowned.

"It's the Notebook." Hermione answered. Draco looked at her quizzically.

"It's only our most favourite movie of all time." Haylee added. Draco nodded to her.

"They play this movie ten times a day. They've been lying off because you and Scorp are here. This movie has got to be the saddest movie you will see in your entire life." Hermione whispered in his ear. Draco grinned and chuckled.

"Alright then." He whispered back.

By the end of the movie, the girls were all in tears, with Haylee and Casey the first to burst only half way through, and the men were watching the telly with very bored, and blank, expressions.

"I don't know why you always make us watch it. I always cry and I hate it." Hermione complained. Haylee and Casey shot her horrible glares.

"Do not bag The Notebook." Casey threatened. Hermione and Kaz rolled their eyes, and tried to get rid of the tears staining their cheeks and eyes.

"So, what about lunch? I bet you're all hungry." Mrs. Granger asked, wiping her eyes off quickly of the tears on her own cheeks and standing up, wrapping her arms around herself. The rest of the family nodded and Mrs. Granger walked into the kitchen.

"Draco? Why don't you choose the movie that we're going to watch after lunch? Kaz can help you." She called out from the kitchen.

"Okay." Draco called back, and he passed his sleeping child to Hermione, and him and Kaz walked over to the DVD cabinet.

"What ones are good?" He asked in a low voice. Kaz snickered.

"Here, this row is the chick flicks, this row are action, this row fantasy, though that kind of constitutes as action anyway, so I don't think that matters. Um, and the last one is comedy. Most of them are romances though." She explained. Draco nodded thoughtfully and looked through the action movies, and on through to the fantasy, completely skipping over the chick flicks and romance comedies.

His eyes fell on a movie that looked appealing.

"What about this one?" Draco asked, holding up the movie. Kaz grinned.

"Awesome." She answered. Draco grinned back and nodded to her, before setting the movie on top of the TV. Draco and Kaz moved back to the couch to get Hermione; Draco taking Scorp from her arms and Kaz helping her stand.

"Which one did you choose?" Hermione asked. Draco smirked at her.

"You'll see." He answered, repeating her own words from earlier. Hermione scowled at him and poked her tongue out at him, which caused him to laugh.

They entered the kitchen to find salads and cold meat on plates on the table.

"Help yourself to making your own sandwiches. Everything's on the table. Get anything else you may want." Mrs. Granger explained, smiling up at them. Hermione's father and sisters were already eating and sitting at the table. Draco, Kaz and Hermione quickly made up a sandwich each; Draco having some trouble doing so while holding Scorpius. Hermione's dad noticed his trouble.

"Do you want me to take him?" He asked. Draco's eyes shot up to the elder man and nodded. He was kinda surprised he'd volunteered. He hadn't held Scorpius once so far.

"Yeah, thanks, that would be great." He answered. Draco put his plate down, and passed Scorpius gently to his grandfather. Mr. Granger held the infant gingerly, treating him as if he's made of glass, or the world's finest china. He looked a bit nervous. Hermione watched on fondly as she sat down at the table at the look on his father's face as he watched his grandson.

Draco finished making his lunch and sat beside his fiancée, kissing her temple and smiling at her as she watched her father. Hermione smiled back up at him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"You know dad, you can hold him throughout the next movie too, if you want to." Hermione suggested, taking a bite out of her sandwich, as her father looked at her with surprise written across his features.

"Okay." He answered hesitantly. Hermione and Draco smiled at him, and the rest of lunch passed rather uneventfully.

When everyone was finished, the group made their way back into the living room and sat back in there positions, except this time, Scorpius was being cradled on his grandfathers lap. He looked to be growing very attached to his youngest relative. Kaz got up and put the movie on, considering Draco didn't know how to, and the movie started playing. Hermione smiled and squealed softly as she recognised what they were watching; Van Helsing.

Draco smiled at her, and she smiled back, kissing him lightly on the lips again, before turning back to the movie and pressing play. Everyone laughed and hung onto what was going on in the epic movie adventure, and Haylee and Casey even cried in the end, when Ana died. Hermione and Kaz had rolled their eyes, but had agreed that it was sad that she had died, not even getting to spend her life with her love.

The family decided to move on from movies after that and introduced Draco to the wonderful world of board games.

First, they had to explain how to play such games as Monopoly, and Cluedo.

The family played these games right up until dinner, ordering take out, and enjoying laughing with each other. Everyone getting the chance to hold Scorpius, and eventually he woke up and looked around at everyone for a short time, before closing his eyes and going back to sleep again.

After everyone had finished eating, they were all very tired, and decided it was best to go to bed.

"We'll see you in the morning." Mrs. Granger called, as the three teens, with Scorpius, and the twins walked upstairs, nearly falling asleep on their feet.

"Night mum!" Hermione called back down, and then they all went to their separate rooms.

"I'll think I'll stay in my room tonight." Kaz announced, going in to get the mattress form Hermione's floor.

"Sure. I'll help you with that." Draco offered, and together the two carried the mattress back into Kaz's room, while Hermione put Scorpius into bed, and cast the muffliato spell over him, and another one to let them know if he woke up. By the time she was done, Draco had come back into the room and had gotten changed into his pyjamas, which consisted of boxers.

Hermione smiled at him, before getting changed herself and sliding into bed beside him, cuddling up next to him, with one of her hands tracing patterns on his chest, and the other around his back. Draco, in turn, wrapped his arm around behind her, and stroked her head with his free hand that was currently lying on his shoulder.

"Did your family ever have any traditions of sorts?" Hermione asked, as they laid there in silence. Draco frowned.

"No, not really. We'd have the same thing for Christmas dinner every year, but never any "family time" things your family has. Father found them weak." Draco spat. Hermione continued stroking his chest softly, trying to clam his anger down again. He eventually took a deep breath and settled, sending her an apologetic look. Hermione just shook her head and smiled lightly.

"I could tell that mother wanted to do some things as a family. Though, she'd always take me with her places, if I wasn't supposed to go somewhere with Father, and that was our family time, I guess. It was when we were happy, or, as happy as we could seem in public." Draco grimaced. Hermione kissed his chest lightly and smiled up at him.

"Every family is different, Draco. If every family was the same, it would be incredibly boring." She commented. Draco smiled down at her, before kissing her softly. Hermione leaned up so she didn't have to stretch her neck so much, and Draco pulled her on top of him, pinning her there with his arms. Hermione squealed at the movement and giggled. Draco groaned and kissed her more passionately, before flipping them over.

Then, the lights were switched off, and whatever happened next, happened in the dark.

* * *

**A/N: And now for the wonderful people that make my day!**

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	6. A Different Outlook on War

**A/N: OMG!! I'm so sorry people. This chapter was supposed to come out weeks ago, but my internet wouldn't work, and then my computer broke down, and then we had a laptop that didn't have the internet, and now it does have the internet, so it's all okay, and, to make up for the fact that it took so long, I already have another chapter written and ready to go, so that will be up soon as well, and I'm nearly done with Chapter 8, so that should be up soon as well!!**

**See, I didn't do nothing during my short break! ;)**

**Thank you all for being so patient with me.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Potterverse by J.K. Rowling, and I do not make any money off this story. **

* * *

**Chapter 6 – A Different Outlook on War**

**Thursday June 13th**

There were another couple of days of training. And, just the same as always when they trained, Kaz watched from the sidelines, holding onto baby Scorpius, and watching with awe at the skill and precision.

Sometimes, when they have nothing else to do, the Twins, Haylee and Casey, also come in and watch Hermione and Draco practice their duelling skills. Every time they come and watch though, they always voice their opinions about how vicious it is, and wonder at how they could do this to each other if they truly loved each other as they say they do. Hermione and Draco always have the same reaction to these outbursts though; they roll their eyes and ignore it.

When they reach the Thursday, Hermione and Draco come down from the attic panting and sweating.

"We're going to have to wash these robes again before we use them after lunch." Hermione pointed out, smell the front of her own robe and grimacing. Draco did the same.

"I agree. These things stink."

Kaz laughed.

"You two always stink after training. It's a natural fact that sweat stinks." She commented. Hermione frowned at her.

"Thanks for stating the obvious for us." She grumbled, peeling off her outer robes and starting to fix sandwiches for the lot of them. As they ate, they were too tired to talk, so the three of them plus Hermione and Draco's sleeping baby, ate in silence, thinking.

Suddenly, as she was on her second sandwich (training really took it out of her), Hermione thought of a brilliant idea.

"Why don't we train using some old muggle weapons; ones that don't use technology or electricity to work, like swords and bows and arrows? If we really need to, we could even charm some old canons from somewhere to work." She announced. Draco thought about it for the moment.

"I like the sound of archery and swordplay, but I think the canon sounds a bit weird. You definitely have a point though. The purebloods won't know what they are, and if you hit a person in the right spot with a sword, you can kill them instantly. That way none of us will have to gather up the hate needed for an Avada Kedavra, but we can still seriously injure them." He expanded.

Hermione's eyes glinted in excitement.

"Exactly! And with magic we can make the swords lighter or heavier depending on who's wielding it, so we won't have the disadvantage of people using swords that are too big for them." Both Hermione and Draco were starting to get very excited about their new idea now.

"Of course, we'd have to test it out ourselves before we mention it to Harry and the Order, but I think it would help our chances immensely to be using things that purebloods don't know about." Draco explained. Hermione agreed.

"Very true. Don't purebloods know about swords?" She asked. Draco shook his head.

"Our earlier ancestors used them, but the later generations thought that they were above using muggle weapons, so the activity died out a couple of generations back. Do you have any swords or bows and arrows up there?" Draco pointed up to the ceiling, in the same direction of the attic. Hermione thought for a second.

"I'd have to look." She answered. And so, the three of them, with Kaz carrying Scorpius again, hurried upstairs to try and find swords, bows and arrows.

No swords were found, so Hermione grabbed a piece of wood and a piece of scrap metal, and transfigured them into two generic swords, adjusting them slightly to fit their owners. A little later on, Draco found two bows, and Kaz pointed out two quivers full of arrows. Draco searched around for a target for a couple of minuted, before giving up and picking up an old shoe, and transforming that into a generously sized target.

"There, all done. Considering I just put up that target, let's start with archery first." Draco suggested. Hermione raised her eyebrows as she started putting up the wards in front of Kaz and Scorpius again.

"Yes, boss." She called over her shoulder in an amused voice. Draco rolled his eyes and looked at the bow in his hands unsurely.

"Hey, Hermione, do you know how to do archery?" He asked. He hadn't really thought of this when he said it had been a good idea. Hermione laughed form behind him.

"Of course I do! Why do you think that we have bows and arrows? Dad used to take me archery practising all the time before I went to Hogwarts, so I might be a bit rusty." She answered, coming over a picking up her bow, and slinging her quiver of arrows over her shoulder.

"Okay, watch me first." Hermione ordered, pushing Draco off to the side slightly, and taking position in front of the target.

"Okay, first thing's first." She started. "You stand side on to the target, with your feet shoulder width apart." Draco imitated her from behind, except without the bow in his hand.

"Point your bow to the ground first, and get an arrow out of the quiver on your back." Still, Draco was imitating, pulling an imaginary arrow from his back as she did.

"Fit the arrow into the bow like so." She taught, showing him the fitted arrow. Draco was watching and learning quickly with great intensity. He really wanted to master this.

"Then, bring the bow up, and aim to the middle of the target." Draco brought up his imaginary bow and arrow with her own.

"And then, when you're ready, pull the arrow backwards slowly, still aiming at the target." Hermione instructed. Draco looked rather silly, pulling back nothing.

"And then, when you feel comfortable with your shot, let go." She finished, letting go of the arrow, where it hit the second to middle ring with enough force to drive it half way through. Neither Kaz nor Draco saw the arrow fly through the air, or hit the target, but they did hear the thud. Hermione frowned.

"Hmm, yes, still a bit rusty." She decided, going up to the target and pulling out the arrow. She turned back around to find Kaz and Draco staring at her with their mouths hanging open, or well, in Draco's case, as open as he was willing to let it without seeming like an idiot. He needed some dignity to hold onto.

Hermione looked between them worriedly.

"What?" She asked, effectively knocking them both out of their stupor.

"How the bloody hell did you do that?" Draco blurted out. Hermione and Kaz started laughing at him, and he just scowled at the latter, before turning back to the former with a slight sense of awe.

"I pulled the arrow back and let go." Hermione answered. Draco now turned his scowl on her.

"And you call that rusty?" He asked. Hermione nodded.

"Yeah, before I was in Hogwarts, I used to be able to get it in the middle circle all the time. Putting it in the second to middle circle for me is a bit rusty." She answered. Kaz raised her eyebrow at her.

"When you told me you did archery, you never told me you were that good." She commented. Hermione grinned.

"I'm humble, you know that." She replied. Draco snorted.

"Not when it comes to school work." He put in. Hermione hit him over the head.

"Thanks, love." She replied. Draco just scowled at her.

"Okay. My turn now?" He asked. Hermione nodded and moved him side on in front of the target.

"Okay, now, can you remember what I told you?" She asked. Draco nodded confidently.

"Okay, I want you to say it as you do it." She said, stepping out of harms way. Draco took a deep breath and pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back.

"Take out an arrow." He started. Then he fit the arrow to the bow.

"Fit the arrow." Draco then raised his bow to aim at the target.

"Aim." He recalled. Then he pulled the arrow back slowly.

"Pull the arrow back." Then he let it go.

"Fire." He said, lowering his bow as the arrow went thud halfway from the middle if the target.

Hermione started applauding.

"I'd clap too, Draco, but I have your kid in my arms. It's a bit difficult." Kaz announced. Draco winced at where it had landed and turned to face Hermione.

"How did I go?" He asked. Hermione laughed good-naturedly.

"That was brilliant for a first go. I remember I missed it completely on mine. You have talent Draco. You just have to work at it, just like everything else." She lectured. Draco smiled happily at her, knowing that he'd bested her first time round. Hermione rolled her eyes and went up to the target and pulled out his arrow.

"Take another arrow." She instructed. Draco pulled out another one of his arrows from his quiver. Hermione came up behind him.

"Fit the bow." She instructed again. Draco did as he was told. Hermione then put her hands on his arms and raised his bow with the fitted arrow.

"Okay, so now I'm going to guide you." Draco nodded and tried to concentrate on taking aim, but the feeling of having his fiancée pressed up against him was making him lose his mind slightly.

"You're distracting me." He muttered. Hermione chuckled.

"It's good practice." She shot back. Draco groaned and tried again to make his mind do the task.

As much as she could, Hermione fit her arm around Draco, and put it on his wrist, as she couldn't reach his hand.

"Okay, I'm going to pull the arrow back slowly." She whispered in his ear.

"You aren't making this any easier." Draco gritted his teeth and tried to push her presence away. Hermione chuckled quietly again.

"That's the point. If you're going to be distracted on the battle field, then you may as well start training that way from the word go." She whispered again. Draco scowled.

"Fine. What next?" He asked. He could practically feel Hermione's smirk.

"Pull the arrow back." She murmured, just as slowly as she pulled back his arm.

"Take aim at the target." She instructed quietly. Draco's brain was entirely clear yet, but he was getting there. At least he was hearing her instructions well. Her soft scent of roses wasn't helping his lust addled brain either. He pushed that thought away and focused solely on the target. And when he heard Hermione whisper, "let go", that was just what he did.

Hermione and Draco watched he arrow hit it's target, three rings from the middle. A lot closer than it had been before. Draco grinned like an idiot and turned around and kissed her, hard. Hermione squealed in surprise before giggling a bit and returning it, wrapping her arms around his neck as he picked her up off the ground and twirled her in a circle.

"Thank you, my dear." He whispered as he put her on the ground again.

"No problem. Maybe we'll have to work on different distractions next time." She answered, mischievous smile lighting up her face. Draco looked scared for a moment, before going back to smiling again.

"Can I try it by myself again now?" He asked. Hermione smiled.

"Of course you can."

So, Draco took up his position again and went through the motions. When he let the arrow go, this time it landed just outside where it was supposed to be.

"Well done! You really are getting good at this." Hermione praised. Draco turned to her with a self-satisfied smirk.

"As if I wouldn't be any good at this." He mentioned. Hermione raised an eyebrow at his conceitedness and shook her head.

"Now do that again ten times fast." She instructed. Draco gaped at her.

"You want me to what?" He asked. Hermione grinned, and picked up her bow again, as her quiver was still on her back, walked to the front of the target.

"I want you to be able to do this." She repeated, before demonstrating. She fired off ten arrows, all within thirty seconds, and all hit the middle ring.

Hermione smiled to herself.

"There we go, that's better." She muttered to herself, obviously referring to the placement of her arrows on the target. This time, as she walked up at collect her arrows, she could sense Draco's gasp of disbelief, and Kaz's smirk of amusement.

She turned back to see just that. Hermione walked back up to where Draco was standing and motioned him forward.

"Go on, then, Mr. High and Mighty." She challenged. Draco was never one to back down from a challenge, but this one he knew he could not win.

"There is no way I could do that!" He exclaimed. Hermione smirked in triumph.

"I know that. And that is why you will practise speeding up your shots." She instructed, before conjuring a jug of water and three glasses, pouring herself and Kaz one.

"Where's mine?" Draco asked.

"Speed up your shots first." Hermione answered, enjoying the feel of winning one over on him for once. Draco grumbled and started trying to speed up using his bow and arrow. By the time half an hour was up, Draco was really starting to get things going faster. He was able to make four shots (not all in the centre circle) before he screwed up the fifth. Hermione applauded.

"Well done. You can have a drink now." She allowed, a quiet little smirk playing on her lips as she held out a cup. Draco disregarded it and drank his fill from the jug. Hermione raised her eyebrows at his manners and shook her head.

"Are you going to join me now?" He asked.

"Do I look like I need the practice?" She asked. Draco frowned.

"You said yourself you were rusty." He answered, smirking. Hermione rolled her eyes and frowned.

"Fine. If you really want me up there and holding your hand, then I will." She sighed, getting up and walking up to him. Now it was Draco's turn to roll his eyes.

"Stop complaining." He muttered, before facing the target again and trying to get all of his shots in the centre circle. Hermione watched him for a few shots, before coming up behind him again.

"When you release the arrow, I want you to release your breath at the same time." She instructed. Draco nodded, focusing intently on the target and taking a deep breath, before letting it out as he let go of the arrow. It hit the middle circle.

Draco turned to Hermione and started laughing.

"That's brilliant! Thanks!" He exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

"That's okay." Hermione replied, laughing lightly at his reaction.

"You are good Draco; you just have to keep practising, like with everything else." Draco nodded before kissing her lightly and pulling away.

"Why don't we start on sword play now?" Draco suggested. Hermione nodded and picked up her sword off the floor, while putting down her bow and quiver of arrows. Draco followed suit. He positioned her in front of him.

"Okay. How much do you know about swordplay?" Draco asked. Hermione frowned.

"Not much. I mean, I've never learnt before." She answered. Draco nodded.

"Okay, I'm going to have to show you some basic moves." He replied, speaking more to himself than to her. "My mother would be so much better at teaching you than I am." She heard him mutter.

"Why?" She asked. Draco shrugged.

"She was the one that taught me." He answered.

"Really?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised. Narcissa didn't really strike her as the swordplay-type.

"Yeah; she taught me when Lucius wasn't around. I was never allowed to know anything or be able to use anything to do with Muggles." Draco answered, swinging the sword in a circle around them. "Alright, so we're going to have to put safety charms on these things because I don't really want to lose an arm or a leg."

Hermione frowned at him for the obvious jab at her lack of knowledge about swordplay, and applied the appropriate charms to her sword, making it danger-safe.

"Mother also said it would come in handy someday; obviously she was right." Draco commented. Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so the first thing we are going to learn. . ." Draco started, and then it snowballed off from there. For the next couple of hours, Draco taught Hermione some basic moves and, slowly, they progressed in speed as Hermione quickly learnt how to properly use her sword with skill and precision. At five o'clock, the two of them stop, absolutely worn out.

"Alright! I'm done!" Draco called, dropping his sword to the ground, with Hermione quickly following suit.

"I need a shower. I smell really bad." Hermione commented. Draco screwed up his nose.

"I know you do." He replied. Hermione glared at him and punched him weakly in the arm, with Kaz laughing at the comment in the background.

"Let's go down, my love. Then we can shower, and eat, and go have our long awaited sleep." Draco announced, slinging his arm over Hermione's shoulder as she took down the wards. The three of them plus the sleeping baby made their way down the stairs from the attic, where they split up, Draco and Hermione to the shower, and Kaz and Scorpius down tho the Lounge Room.

Three quarters of an hour later, the two came back down again, dressed and clean again, ready for dinner.

"Oh good, you two are down already. Can you please help me with dinner?" Mrs. Granger called from the kitchen. Hermione groaned.

"Coming!" She yelled back, and both she and Draco shuffled their way into the kitchen, ready to help cook.

"What do you need us to do?" Hermione asked. Mrs. Granger glanced their way for a moment before turning her gaze back to the steaks on the stove.

"I need you to look after the steaks, they're nearly done, and Draco could you please get the chips out of the oven, they should be done, and then set the table for me?" She asked.

"Um, Mrs. Granger? I don't know how to use the oven." Draco muttered, ashamed at his lack of knowledge on Muggle appliances. Mrs. Granger looked slightly shocked for a moment, before remembering that Draco grew up in a family that hated muggles.

"Oh! Yes, that's right. Hermione, can you teach him, I need to do the drinks." Mrs. Granger instructed. Hermione nodded and smiled at Draco warmly.

"Don't worry love; they're fairly easy to use. This dial here is how you turn it on, but all you have to do is take it out." Hermione pointed out. Draco opened the door and went to grab the tray inside, when Hermione grabbed his hand, saying, "No!"Draco looked at her strangely.

"What?" He asked. Hermione took in a deep breath.

"They tray is going to be very hot. Like, untouchable, hot. You need to use an oven mitt." She informed. Draco nodded in understanding once, and took his hand away from the inside of the oven. Hermione handed him an oven mitt, and he put that on one of his hands.

"Only use the hand with the mitt on it to grab the tray, otherwise you could end up with 3rd degree burns." Hermione instructed, watching the steaks and Draco with a practiced eye. The Twins used to burn their hands on the stove all the time, while Hermione helped her mother cook.

"There we go." Draco announced, as he put the tray on the granite kitchen bench with a smirk on his lips. Hermione rolled her eyes, and grabbed the pan with the steaks in it.

"Watch out, this is hot too." She announced, turning around and putting the pan next to the tray of chips.

"Now we just have to dish it out. I'll do that, while you set the table." Hermione ordered, and Draco nodded in agreement, grabbing the knives and forks out of the drawer, where he had seen them earlier.

When they had both finished, Hermione and Draco grabbed their dinners, and went to their spots at the table.

"Dinner!" Mrs. Granger called out the doorway, and soon four sets of footsteps could be heard making their way to the dinner table. Kaz came in first, and put Scorpius in his high chair in between Hermione and Draco before seating herself on Hermione's other side. Next came the twins, both just hanging up on their friends after copious amounts of goodbyes, and then came in Mr. Granger, breathing in the smell of the steaks and sighing.

"Nothing like a good steak for dinner." He announced, seating himself beside Mrs. Granger and Haylee.

Dinner was eaten quickly and without much talking on Draco and Hermione's half; training physically all day was certainly taking its toll on them and they were starving. When they were done, Hermione took their plates up to the sink to be washed and excused herself and Draco, saying they were much too tired to do anything else than sleep for the rest of the night, and they took Scorpius up with them to their shared room after saying good night to everyone.

"I'm going to feed Scorpius. I'll be back in a few minutes." Hermione announced, once they were in their room. Draco smiled at her tiredly and nodded, stripping down and getting into his pyjamas.

Hermione, as promised, came out of the bathroom a few minutes later with a sleeping Scorpius, and tucked him into his crib for the night, before getting changed into her own pyjamas. She turned towards the bed to find Draco staring at her with a content look on his face.

"What?" Hermione asked, slightly self-consciously. Draco just smiled at her and shook his head, patting the bed beside him invitingly. Hermione walked over and got in beside him, snuggling close and sighing.

"I love you." Draco murmured, breathing in the scent of her hair and breathing out again.

"I love you too." Hermione replied, leaning up and kissing him softly. Together, both of them snuggled down into the blankets and fell asleep, ready for the next day.

-**Friday June 14th**

Draco and Hermione woke up the next morning, bright and early and ready to start training again, but not before performing their usual morning rituals, and dressing Scorpius.

They took him down stairs, where they saw Kaz and ate breakfast together. They trained, like they had the day before, with swords and bows and arrows, for the rest of the week, finishing early on Sunday so they could back their bags, ready to go to Malfoy Manor the next day.

On the Sunday, while they were having a break from training, a thought occurred to Hermione.

"Draco, do you have swords at your house?" She asked. Draco swallowed and stalled slightly in his answer.

"Yes, but they might be too dangerous for you to use." He answered delicately. Hermione looked at him quizzically for a moment, before understanding shone through her face.

"Oh, because I'm muggle born and every thing in your house seems to be muggleborn- repellent." She realised. Draco winced slightly, just enough to be noticed, and nodded.

"That's okay, Draco, I'll just bring my transfigured one." Hermione shrugged it off. Draco nodded, not liking how his house was so adverse to his fiancée.

That night, after dinner, Hermione and Draco talk to Hermione's parents about bringing the bows and arrows with them to Malfoy Manor.

"Only if you take good care of them and don't hurt each other, or anyone else for that matter, with them." Mrs. Granger agreed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We've been using them for a couple of days now, and how could you think I would hurt anyone with them? I'm brilliant at archery." Hermione asked. Mrs. Granger smiled and cupped her daughters' cheek.

"It's just something a mother has to say dear. I did go to your competitions; I know how good you are at archery." She answered. Hermione frowned, but nodded, and went to collect the bows and arrows from the attic to pack away in their trunks.

Monday came the next day, and tearful goodbyes accompanied it.

"Don't worry, Draco, Scorpius and I will be fine with Narcissa. I'll send you a letter when it's time for you to take Scorpius and how the war is going as often as I can. We'll be fine." Hermione tried to reassure her parents, but she really felt like she was reassuring herself.

"If you say so, dear. We'll contact Kaz when it's time as well and bring her here. We love you." Mrs. Granger added, pulling her daughter into a hug, but being careful not to squash her grandson as she did so.

"You take care of my daughter and grandson, son." Mr. Ganger said to Draco, shaking his hand tightly. Draco nodded.

"Of course, sir. I'd do anything to keep them alive." Draco replied. When Draco had finished his goodbye to Mr. Granger, Kaz launched herself at him.

"I can't hug Hermione like this because of Scorp, so you'll just have to do." She answered his unasked question, her voice slightly muffled because her face was buried in his shoulder.

"Take care of yourself, Kaz." Draco said, patting her awkwardly on the back with one of his hands. The other was on her waist.

"You take care of all of them, or I'll hunt you down, got that?" She threatened weakly. She had tears running down her face. Draco chuckled slightly and hugged her tighter.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of all of them." Draco answered.

"I love you too, Mum." Hermione answered. Kissing her Mum and moving to say goodbye to her dad.

"You take care of yourself, hey sweetie?" He asked. Hermione smiled.

"Of course, just like I always do." She answered. Again Hermione was swept up in a hug, this time by her father, and he kissed her on the forehead, smiling weakly at her.

"Don't get hurt, can you promise me that?" He asked her. Hermione smiled back at him, worried about the scared look in his eye, but she didn't answer. Mr. Granger closed his eyes and hugged her tightly again, being careful about Scorpius.

"I love you, kiddo." He muttered. Hermione felt tears stinging the sides of her eyes and tried to choke them back.

"I love you too Dad." She whispered. "I love you too."

"Well, I guess this is goodbye until you two get back." Haylee and Casey said to Draco. Draco turned towards them and nodded.

"We should be back within the year, maybe sooner, maybe longer. It's not really up to us." He answered. The Twins nodded and took deep breaths.

"I'm sure you've heard this already, but take care of our little sister and our nephew. And yourself too. We see how happy you make her. We'd hate to see what she would be like if anything happened to you." Haylee requested. Draco nodded, looking slightly awed at the twins' perceptiveness.

"Of course." He answered. The Twins nodded and each hugged him in turn, shocking Draco slightly.

"Despite how horrible we may have been to you, we're kinda glad you're in the family." Casey said, somewhat hesitantly.

"Thanks." Draco replied slowly. The Twins nodded and walked away, going over to their sister.

"Hey, Hermione, be careful. As much as we've been the worst sisters ever, we don't want you getting hurt." Haylee announced. Hermione stood, shocked, as Draco had been, and smiled.

"Aww, thanks for caring." Hermione said, hugging her sisters to her with one arm. Haylee and Casey hugged her back, before kissing Scorpius on the forehead, and stepping back. This allowed time for Kaz to jump in.

"Hermione! I love you! Take care of yourself and your family! I don't want anything happening to any of you!" Kaz cried, wrapping her arms around Hermione's neck and hugging her tightly, momentarily forgetting about Scorpius nestled in Hermione's arms.

"Oh no!" She yelled, jumping back and inspecting the baby, who appeared not to have been bothered in the slightest by the intrusion into his personal space. "I didn't hurt him did I?" Kaz asked. Hermione laughed.

"No, he's fine. He's just sleeping." Hermione answered. Kaz put her hand to her heart.

"Good. I'll miss you Hermione." She said, this time hugging her softly. Hermione hugged her back as best she could, and started crying again.

"I'll miss you too Kaz. My parents will come and get you when it's time, to, um, leave, I guess. I'll see you then." Hermione replied, haltingly because of her silent tears. The two friends pulled back from each other and saw that the other was also crying and started laughing, wiping the tears from their eyes.

"Oh Draco, do be careful. I don't want anything happening to you." Mrs. Granger said, pulling Draco into her arms and hugging him tightly.

"I'll be careful, Mrs. Granger. I'll take care of Hermione and Scorpius as well." He replied, hugging her tightly. This woman had treated him like her own son, even after everything that he had gone through with Hermione.

"I love you, Draco. I can't wait until you truly are a member of the family." She muttered. Draco could feel tears coming to his eyes, but fought them back, not wanting to cry in front of her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Granger, thank you." He answered. Mrs. Granger smiled and pulled back, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead and patting his arm, before pulling away completely, and wiping her eyes of her tears.

Draco walked over to Hermione and wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him.

"We better got going, love." He muttered to her. The two of them were facing Hermione's family, with the fireplace behind them. Hermione nodded and wiped her eyes again.

"I love you all. We'll see you again as soon as possible." She promised. The family and Kaz nodded; Mrs. Granger and Kaz wiping tears from their eyes, and Mr. Granger watching on sadly with the Twins. Draco and Hermione shrunk their trunks to put them in their pockets, and turned to face the fireplace.

"Off to my place. Oh joy." Draco muttered, before saying a final goodbye and tossing floo powder into the fire and calling out, "Malfoy Manor!" into the air, and disappearing in a vibrant green whoosh.

"I love you guys and I'll see you all soon." Hermione said once again, before putting a piece of cloth over Scorpius face and following Draco into the floo.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys!!! So, did you like it? Again, I'm so sorry about how long it took, but that was unavoidable, unfortunately. Anyway, here are the people that reviewed the last chapter!**

**FizzyCherry**

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**Thank you to all of you for being so wonderful!! See you again soon!**

**Sarah xo. **


	7. First Day at Mothers' House

**A/N: Didn't I tell you that I would get it out soon? And here is your second reward for being so patient with me, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: On previous chapter. **

**Chapter 7 – First Day at Mothers' House**

**Monday June 17th**

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and onto the hearth in Malfoy Manor not a couple of seconds later. She took the piece of cloth from Scorpius mouth to let him breathe clean air again. She felt Draco put his arm around her, and heard Narcissa clap excitedly.

"Oh here you are! I was wondering when you would get here!" She exclaimed, pulling Draco into a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, before taking Scorpius from Hermione and hugging her too.

"I hope the floo trip wasn't too hard on any of you." She commented. Hermione smiled at her.

"Of course not, Narcissa, everything was fine." Hermione answered.

"That's brilliant. Draco, why don't you show her to your room? I'll take Scorpius into the kitchen with me. I'm helping the house-elves make the lunch for us." She explained, and then walked into the kitchen, cradling the small baby in her arms. Hermione smiled in amusement after her and turned to face Draco.

"So, where's your room?" She asked, smiling brightly at him. Draco smiled back at her and shook his head.

"Follow me. It isn't too far." He instructed, and took her hand before walking off towards the stairs. The two didn't walk too far before they reached Draco's door, and he opened it for them.

Hermione looked around the room in awe. It was more extravagant than any room she had ever seen.

"My God." She whispered. Draco chuckled from behind her, watching as she walked around the room, taking everything in.

"This is really your room?" Hermione asked, flicking a glance towards him, before continuing her wandering.

"Yeah, it really is." Draco answered, amused by her wonder.

The room was a dark green colour, with black trimmings, and intricate black designs up near the roof. It was easily the size of Hermione's Lounge Room, complete with fireplace down the end, and dark green and black couches and chairs surrounding it. The bed was fitted to match, and a four-poster, just like the ones at Hogwarts. There was a small dark wood table by the couches and chairs with a matching set of smaller, but taller, ones sitting on either side of the Queen Size bed. The carpet was dark green, and Hermione could tell that if she ever walked barefoot on that carpet, then it would feel like Heaven underneath her toes.

"I actually want to get another colour scheme going in here. The dark green and black are a little depressing." Draco commented lightly, just as if he was talking about the weather.

"I think it suits the house, just not you. Maybe the you from before, but not the you now." Hermione replied, tilting her head back to look at the chandelier on the ceiling.

"You even have a chandelier?" She asked, pointing up. Draco pulled a face when he looked at it.

"Yes, I've been trying to get rid of it for a while now, but I don't quite know how." He answered. Hermione nodded.

"Maybe the house doesn't want it removed." She commented. Draco tilted his head in acknowledgment.

"There's always that fact. Come on, we have to unpack our trunks." He said, pulling his out of his pocket, and returning it to its regular size. Hermione followed suit, but just left it by the end of the bed. Draco gave her a quizzical look.

"Well, in two weeks we have to go the Grimmauld Place anyway, why bother unpacking?" She pointed out, and Draco had to concede the point, so he laid his beside Hermione's.

"I'm going to have to change all the clothes in there at some point before we leave again, though. They're all dirty." He commented, wrinkling his nose as he pulled out a pair of robes. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Don't you just have a spot to put them where the house-elves collect them and do the laundry for you?" She asked. Draco thought a moment.

"Yes, in the bathroom. I usually chuck my clothes there after I've had a shower." He answered, levitating his dirty laundry into the bathroom and into the basket by the door. Hermione just smiled at him. He then turned back and levitated all of Hermione's dirty laundry into the same basket, ignoring her protests.

"I can't make them do my laundry as well as everything else they have to do in this Mansion." She exclaimed. Draco just waved it off.

"We have a couple of elves that only do the laundry, and that requires a lot of waiting anyway, so they get heaps of time off. Don't worry, they'll be fine." He reassured, while guiding her to the bed with his arm around her shoulder. Then, he jumped on, and pulled Hermione down with him, dragging her into his arms and resting his chin on top of her head, and sighing.

Hermione giggled and squirmed a bit, but finally got comfortable, with her arms around his waist. She smiled up at him when she was ready and he kissed her softly, again, and again, and again. The two smiled in contentment as they kissed each other.

Unfortunately, the moment was ruined by a knock to the bedroom door.

"Hermione, dear, I'm sorry to interrupt, but young Scorpius is hungry. He won't stop crying!" Narcissa called through the door. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'm coming, Narcissa." Hermione called back, and got up off the bed to open the door.

"Here you are dear. I hope it's not too much of a bother for you." Narcissa said, passing Hermione back a crying Scorpius.

"Not at all. I'll be right back." She answered, before walking into the adjoining bathroom for some privacy.

As she walks away, carrying baby Scorp, Draco watches, laying on his back on the bed, elbows propping up his upper body. From her vantage point leaning against the doorframe, Narcissa watched her son follow his fiancée with his eyes.

"So, when are you two getting married?" She asked offhandedly, looking at her nails and glancing up at him sporadically. Draco smiled at his mothers failed nonchalance.

"After the war." He replied, turning his head toward her. Narcissa frowned.

"Why are you waiting so long?" She asked. Draco looked back towards the bathroom door, but it almost seemed as though he was looking through it, to his family on the other side.

"For safety mostly. Imagine the harm that could befall them if something bad happened, and it got out that Hermione and I had a kid as well, because he would have to be there. It would be like painting a target sign on our foreheads." He answered, never taking his eyes off the door. Narcissa could feel the worry radiating off his in waves.

"Do you have a plan for Scorpius, for when the war starts?" She asked softly, not wanting for him to worry even more than he already was. She saw him nodding, and then he turned those molten silver eyes on her.

"Yeah, we do. We made it up while we were at Hermione's house." He replied. Before Narcissa could ask what it was, Hermione cam out of the bathroom with a giggling Scorp, stopping the conversation. Hermione looked up from playing with her son, and looked at Draco, smiling brightly. Despite his worry for his family, Draco smiled back at her just as happily.

When she sat down, Draco took the baby from her, and laid back on the bed with Scorp laying on his chest. When he looked up, both his Mother and Hermione were smiling at him.

"What?" He asked, a little self-consciously, patting his hair. Hermione just shook her head.

"Nothing, love." She replied. Draco just gave them both odd looks, before looking back at his son. The small boy soon fell asleep there, resting on his fathers' stomach.

Narcissa decided to break the comfortable silence.

"Draco, dear, why don't you take Hermione on a tour of the house? Well, show her as much of it as possible before lunch." She suggested. Hermione nodded.

"I'd like that." She said. Draco sighed.

"Fine, come on. We'll bring Scorpius with us." He agreed. Draco carefully lifted Scorpius up from his position on his chest, and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Hermione got up too and walked over to the door with Draco following on her heels, fixing his grip on Scorpius, resting the babies head on his shoulder.

"Come on then." He walked out the door, Hermione following him.

For the next couple of hours, Hermione and Draco toured the house. He showed her the main rooms, and the ones that even he wasn't allowed to go in, and that she was not to go in ever. They hadn't been able to rid the house of all the dark, ancient magic that surrounded it, so it was best if she stuck to the main rooms. Hermione promised not to go into any rooms without him or his mother present, and then they were called for lunch.

Draco led the way down into the dining room, and Hermione knew that she would never be able to navigate the Manor without one of its occupants helping her.

When they reached their destination, Hermione sat in her chair with Draco right next to her. Draco placed Scorpius in the cradle that appeared beside his chair, and then sat down beside her.

As soon as they were seated, a house-elf appeared out of thin air, dressed in a pure white pillow with the Malfoy insignia sewn into the corner. The elf himself looked very prim and proper.

At the sight of the elf, Hermione started frowning. Although she had stopped her elf rights campaigning, she still didn't like the fact that house-elves were used as slaves.

Draco noticed and took her hand in his, and kissed her temple, making her feel slightly better.

"May I take your order for lunch Madams and Monsieur?" The little elf asked in a squeaky voice. The table ordered, though Draco had to order for Hermione, because she didn't have a clue what to do, and the elf disappeared the same time as the food appeared.

Despite usually being very talkative, Narcissa was quiet during the lunch, and they ate in silence.

After everyone had finished, Narcissa cleared her throat, attracting the attention of the couple just down the table from her. When they looked up, the two saw a distinct sadness in her eyes.

"I know this isn't a very happy dinner table conversation, but I feel I must now. What are your plans for young Scorpius during the battle?" She asked, trying to sound confident, but instead it turned out rather hesitant.

Draco and Hermione glanced at each other and Draco nodded. Hermione nodded back at him, and launched into their plans for Hermione's family and Scorpius. During the explanation, Narcissa nodded along with their plans with a stony face.

When Hermione finished, Narcissa drew another deep breath, and looked up at the pair from where her eyes were on the cutlery on the table.

"I think I should go with them." She stated, a lot more confidently than she did before.

Draco and Hermione watched the Malfoy Matriarch in astonishment.

"But, Mother, I thought you were going to fight in the Final Battle? Why do you want to leave?" Draco asked, surprise lacing every single one of his words.

"I wouldn't want you to worry about me. You have enough things to worry about." She gave. Short, sweet and to the point. Draco and Hermione looked at each other, working things out in their heads.

"Why don't we let her go with Hermione's family, Kaz and Scorpius? You could be the one that makes the portkey. It would mean we wouldn't have to involve anyone else but our families in the plan, and we still won't know where they're going if Mother makes it, and then no one in England will." Draco said to Hermione, making very good points. Hermione thought it over very quickly, trying to find any loop holes in the idea.

"I concur. It would also mean a bit more protection for my family. A witch with them would ease my mind greatly." Hermione answered. Draco nodded and turned back to his Mother.

"If this is what you want Mother, then you can go with them. Do you know how to make a portkey?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.

Narcissa waved his question off.

"You underestimate my abilities, Draco dear. Of course I can." She answered. Draco nodded.

"Then you can make the portkey that gets you lot out of here. We'll call you when it's time, and in the meanwhile, think of a place you can go, but don't tell us." He warned. Narcissa nodded and Draco stood up, pulling out Hermione's chair as she also stood.

"Well, we better get Scorpius into his bed upstairs. He'll be more comfortable." He announced. Hermione agreed and they both bid goodbye to Narcissa and headed back upstairs to their room.

When inside, Draco put Scorpius in his cot, and cast a Muffliato spell over him, so he couldn't hear anything, but Hermione and Draco could tell when he needed them.

"What did you just do?" Hermione asked, tilting her head to the side slightly, and giving him a small smile. Draco smiled back at her and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his forehead against hers momentarily before kissing along her jaw, neck and throat. Hermione responded by tilting back her head and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Muffliato. So we can have some privacy. He can't hear us, but we can hear him." Draco explained, between trailing kisses along her neck and collarbone. He felt Hermione nod.

"Who taught you that?" She whispered.

"Snape." Draco answered, pushing her back into the bed. Just as he went for the buttons on her shirt, Hermione stopped him.

"What about your mother?" She asked. Draco didn't stop kissing her as he answered.

"She doesn't come find me unless it's important, and she doesn't open the door without knocking." He explained. Upon hearing this, she conceded and went for his shirt in return.

**Two hours later**

Draco and Hermione woke up together, under the covers of his bed, to Scorpius crying. Leaving Hermione resting in bed, Draco got up and went over to him, putting on a pair of boxers first and taking off the Muffliato charm.

"What's the matter, baby boy?" He asked, holding him and getting a good whiff of the present left in his diaper. Draco pulled a face and looked around to find a changing table beside the cot that hadn't been there before.

"Convenient. Thank you house." He muttered, quickly changing Scorpius diaper and rocking him to sleep again. When the baby was back asleep, Draco put him back in his cot and climbed back into bed, pulling Hermione close to him.

"He okay now?" She asked sleepily. Draco nodded and kissed her softly a few times. Moments later, Narcissa could be heard banging on the door and calling for Draco. Hermione sighed and Draco groaned, pushing himself out of bed and grabbing a dressing gown, throwing that on a tying it up before opening the door and slipping outside, closing it behind him.

"What's going on, Mother?" He asked. Narcissa raised an eyebrow at his attire, but did not comment. She didn't really want to know.

"Blaise and Pansy are in the Library." She replies, a little hesitantly. Draco's eyes lit up at the idea of seeing his closest friends.

"That's brilliant. I'll go tell Hermione." He says, turning and going for the doorknob.

"Draco," his mother stopped him. Draco turned around and looked at her expectantly. "Daphne and Theodore are down there also." Narcissa added. Draco felt his stomach plummet at the thought of having to put up with Daphne for however long it would take to get rid of her.

Draco nodded his acknowledgment of the development, and opened the door when his mother had turned away. As soon as he was inside, he went to the bed, where Hermione had sat up upon seeing him. Draco sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands.

"What's wrong, my love?" She asked, coming up behind him and placing a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it soothingly. She would have used two, but her other hand was holding up the sheet that was covering her front.

"Blaise and Pansy are downstairs." Draco started. Hermione looked confused.

"How is that bad?" She asked. Draco laughed hollowly.

"Daphne and Theo are down there as well. You won't be able to come down until they leave." He answered. Hermione sighed.

"Is that all? Don't worry about me. I'll be okay up here. I have Scorpius, remember?" She replied. Draco shot her a look.

"And what will you do about food?" He asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What's the name of your house-elf?" She asked. Draco sat up taller.

"Scruffy. Don't laugh; I named him when I was very young." He warned. Hermione smiled amusedly, and nodded.

"I won't laugh. Okay, so I'll just call Scruffy when I need food. Is that okay?" She asked patronisingly. Now it was Draco's turn to roll his eyes.

"Yes, that's fine. Wait a minute, I'll tell him." He answered. "Scruffy!" Hermione jumped at the sound of the yell, but not a second later, a small house-elf, wearing the same towel with the Malfoy insignia as the one from lunch had, appeared in front of Draco and bowed.

"You called, Master?" He asked, anxious to do something for his wonderful Master.

Draco nodded.

"This is Hermione. If she calls you for any reason, you help her out. If she calls for food, you bring her whatever she wants. You serve her too, now, understand?" Draco ordered. Scruffy nodded his head happily.

"Of course, sir. I is being very pleased to meet you, Miss Hermione." The elf said, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Hermione giggled.

"It's very nice to meet you too Scruffy." She answered. Scruffy looked very happy.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" Scruffy asked. Draco shook his head and the elf disappeared. Draco sighed and got up off the bed and went for the closet.

"Will you be okay down there?" She asked, as he took of his dressing gown and started getting dressed in a black suit. Draco nodded.

"I'll be fine, love. It's only Theo and Daphne. Those two are easy to handle. I will warn you though; Daphne has this thing for me, and it's been hard for her to let go since I got together with you. If you hear anything that sounds like her hitting on me, you must realise that I don't like her, at all, not even as a friend. Can you remember that? If someone tells you anything?" He made eye contact with Hermione as he asked his last question, begging her to understand.

Hermione scowled at the thought of Daphne trying anything on her fiancée, but nodded. She knew Draco loved her. And Daphne was nothing. Pansy would be down there anyway. It would all be fine.

"I know Draco. I love you too." She smiled at him, hoping to convey her comfort and happiness. Draco sighed.

"Thank you. I really just needed for you to know that." He replied, tucking in his shirt and throwing on his dinner jacket. He walked over to her, smiling.

"Get dressed; I'm going to send Pansy up here when I can." He muttered, giving her a quick kiss, before kissing Scorpius on the head and walking out the door.

"Draco!" Hermione called, just before he shut the door. Draco turned back quickly.

"Your hair. It looks all mussed up." She informed. Draco hurried in and into the bathroom, fixing it quickly before kissing her again and leaving with an 'I love you" trailing in the air behind him.

He made it to the Library in record timing, stopping short and composing himself, before opening the door to his two friends and two acquaintances.

Before he had even shut the door, Pansy had thrown herself at him, hugging him tightly.

"Draco! We've missed you so much!" She exclaimed, letting him go and brushing down the front of her dress, before looking up into his smiling, amused, face. Behind her, Draco could see Daphne's livid face.

"Not as much as you've missed Ron, I'll bet." Draco replied. Pansy's cheeks stained pink momentarily before she pulled herself together again, and glaring at him, but not with the usual force behind it. He smiled at her and kissed her cheek before walking over to Blaise and Theo, who stood up to greet him and shook their hands, only offering a nod to Daphne.

"What are you all doing here? I was in the middle of a shower when Mother called me." Draco asked, sitting in his usual armchair and crossing his ankle over his knee, looking a bit quizzical.

"We just felt like dropping in. We had nothing else to do today, and your Manor was close." Blaise answered. Draco offered a short laugh in return to his explanation.

"Are you all staying for dinner?" He asked, thinking, _'I bloody well hope not.'_

"Only Pansy and I are. Daphne and Theo have other, more important things to be doing apparently." Blaise answered. Draco nodded.

"That's too bad. I'm glad you two are staying for dinner though. Pansy, come here a moment." He called. Pansy got up from her chair, confused, and walked over to where Draco was sitting.

"What?" She asked. Draco beckoned her in closer, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"Hermione and Scorpius are in room. Go see them. Hermione's a bit lonely." He instructed. Pansy brightened considerably and walked at an acceptable speed out of the room before sprinting up the stairs.

Blaise, Theo and Daphne all looked quizzically at Draco, who waved them off.

"Mother needs her for something." He answered. Blaise and Theo nodded their heads. Girl stuff was not for the men. Daphne, on the other hand scowled darkly out the door.

"So, what have you all been doing so far?" Draco asked, starting up conversation.

Meanwhile, Pansy had made it up to Draco's room and knocked on his door, calling out, "Hermione!"

She came to the door in seconds, and opens it, holding a sleeping Scorpius in her arms. Pansy squealed a little bit and took Scorpius from her before going over to Draco's bed and sitting down.

"You, my dear, are very sneaky. Staying up here all by yourself while everyone's down there in the Library." She said, bouncing Scorp in her arms. Hermione smiled at her, before shutting the door behind her and joining Pansy on the bed.

"Daphne and Theodore don't know I'm here. Draco thought it would be better and I agreed with him. I can't very well bring Scorpius downstairs with me, can I?" She asked. Pansy pulled a face, but then nodded in agreement.

"No, you couldn't. It could potentially mean disaster." She agreed. "So, what have you been doing?" Hermione laughed slightly.

"Training. Using swords and bows and arrows, and spells as well. We're using everything in our arsenal. We're going to talk to Harry about training like that when we go to live with him in a couple of weeks." Hermione explained.

Pansy looked confused.

"You mean, you aren't staying here for the rest of the holidays?" She asked.

"No. This year is a bit different. I usually spend a month with my parents before going to live with Harry and Sirius and James, but this year I have Draco, so I spent two weeks with my parents, and he came with me, and now two weeks here, before leaving." Hermione informed. Pansy looked a little put out.

"Are the Weasley's there?" She asked hesitantly. Hermione winced slightly.

"They usually are. Ron's been bugging Harry for ages about letting you and Blaise come and stay too, but your parents, he thinks it'll be a risk. The house is under the Fidelius Charm. It's not that he doesn't trust you, it's just that, well, we're traitors. The Malfoys too now, because of Draco and me. You and Blaise really aren't. Your parents are still on _his_ side. You might not be, but, well, I'm not doing a very good job at explaining it." Hermione muttered. Pansy shook her head.

"No, I get it. And, for the record, the Zabini's are neutral. It's only my parents that are on the wrong side. They don't trust my parents not to follow me and find the place." She said. Hermione looked saddened at her friend.

"I'm really sorry Pansy." She murmured. Pansy smiled at her and shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. I don't trust my parents either. I would love to stay there permanently though. With Ron I mean." She added. Hermione snorted.

"The Weasley's are very different from anything you will have ever encountered." Hermione said. Pansy laughed.

"I guessed. With Ron's older brothers there, it would be hectic." She replied. Hermione laughed out loud.

"That's an understatement; though, they own a Joke Shop in Diagon Alley, so they spend most of their time there." Hermione explained. Pansy realised she knew it.

"Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes?" She asked. Hermione nodded. Pansy burst into happy laughter.

"I've tried to get Draco and Blaise in there so many times! But they won't set a foot in the place! They think that something will fall on their heads as they walk in the door because Fred and George Weasley hate them too much!" Pansy explained, in between laughter. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'll have to talk to those two when I see them in a couple of weeks. They'd do something like that too." Hermione muttered. Pansy just kept laughing.

"Hey, how long has it been?" She asked. Hermione frowned, and looked at the watch on her wrist.

"Um, it looks like it's been about 5 minutes. Why?" She asked. Pansy passed Scorpius off to Hermione.

"I think I have to go. I'm only here under the guise of talking to Narcissa." The Slytherin explained. Hermione nodded in acknowledgment.

**MEANWHILE**

"I better go save Pansy from Mother. She's been a while, and Mother wasn't that far away." Draco muttered; mostly to himself than anyone else in the room.

"I'll go with you Draco. You shouldn't have to walk through the house looking for them by yourself." Daphne offered. Draco looked between Theo and Blaise uncertainly for a couple of seconds, before agreeing.

"Thank you Daphne." He said, and then left the room, glaring back at his two friends. The two walked in silence through the halls, until Draco got to the outside of his bedroom door. That's when things went a little haywire.

All of a sudden, Daphne turned and pushed Draco against the door. He let out a yell of surprise. From inside the room, Hermione and Pansy heard the thump and yell from Draco issue from beneath the door. Pansy and Hermione stopped moving and breathing for a couple of seconds. They could hear some mumblings coming from the other side of the door.

"Draco, my love, why on earth are you engaged to that stupid Mudblood, when you could have someone like me?" Daphne asked, pressing herself up against him. Draco could only hope that Hermione wasn't thinking the worst on the other side of the door.

"Don't call her that. Hermione's more of a person than you will ever be! I love her! And she's not just another slut like you are!" He yelled back at her. Hermione and Pansy could hear them clearly now, from inside the room. Then the unthinkable happened.

Daphne tried to kiss Draco, hard on the mouth, but just before she planted her lips, Draco pushed her back, hard.

"What do you think you're doing!?" He screamed. From inside, Hermione and Pansy got a bit scared. Pansy signed for Hermione to go into the bathroom with Scorpius, and she disillusioned the crib.

Then, she went to the door and prepared herself to open it. Through the wood, she could hear scrabbling, and talking. Pansy closed her eyes for a couple of seconds before opening them, and then the door.

The sight she saw didn't shock her in the slightest. Instead, she just stood in the doorway, arms crossed and looking angrily at Daphne. Not that anyone could tell who she was glaring at. Daphne was practically trying to wrap herself around Draco to get a good hold on him. She cleared her throat loudly, causing Daphne to spring backwards and Draco to snap his head around, scared.

"Pansy, it's-it's not-"He started, but Pansy just raised her hand sharply to stop him talking.

"Don't worry about it. I could hear everything from the other side of the door." She answered, now clearly glaring at Daphne. She could hear Draco breathe a sigh of relief. Daphne looked incredibly livid. She turned and stormed off, "This isn't over!" streaming out from behind her. Pansy's frown deepened.

"I didn't think it would be. Be careful of her Draco. She's in deep into something that she doesn't understand." Draco nodded, very grateful that Pansy had helped him.

"Is Hermione in there?" He asked, hesitantly. Pansy nodded.

"I told her to hide in the bathroom with Scorpius. The crib's been disillusioned. I didn't want Daphne seeing any of them." She answered. Draco nodded, and walked quickly into the bathroom.

"I'll be back downstairs when you're ready." She called into the room and walked down the stairs and back into the Library. When she walked in, Blaise looked at her blank face curiously.

"Where's Draco?" He asked cautiously. Pansy glared at Daphne.

"He's washing his mouth out." She shot directly at the other Slytherin girl. Daphne just glared back at her.

"What happened?" Theodore asked. Pansy scoffed.

"Daphne tried kissing him. Well, as any normal, sensible person would do, he pushed her off and told her to stuffed, didn't he, Daph?" Pansy asked sickly sweetly. Blaise and Theo got up from their seats, viciously angry.

"How could you Daphne? You know that he's head over heels for Hermione! That was the stupidest thing that you could have done!" Blaise yelled.

"You can be a right idiot, you know, Pansy!" Theo yelled. While Theo was yelling, Blaise looked towards Pansy, and shot her a questioning look. Pansy took it to mean that he was asking about Hermione. Pansy smiled slightly back at him, and he breathed a discreet sigh of relief.

Draco came back into the Library the next moment, and raised an eyebrow at the group of people around him. Blaise looked at him amusedly. Only him and Pansy could tell the satisfied glint in his eyes. Theo was still angry and was still on the verge of hitting Daphne, so he just sat himself down again. Daphne was still incredibly angry about being blown off and wasn't looking at him. Pansy just had this smug look on her face that said everything.

"Well, this has most definitely been an interesting day." Draco commented, and then sat down in his armchair again, and, like before, conversation ensued like nothing had happened. But, only barely, you could see a hint of happiness on Draco's face that wasn't previously there.

After Daphne and Theo left a couple of hours later, Pansy went back up the stair to Draco's room and got Hermione and Scorpius out from hiding. When they come into the Library, Pansy is holding Scorpius, and Hermione is walking beside her with a smile on her face. Immediately, Draco stands and draws Hermione into his arms. She smiles and chuckles lightly, kissing him and holding onto his lapels.

"You can't be very upset with him then, if you're still kissing him." Blaise commented. Hermione laughed.

"I'm not angry at all. Greengrass attacked him right outside of his bedroom door. I heard all of it from the other side of the door. I know what happened. Blaise smiled back at her.

"That's good. I'd hate for anything to happen to my favourite couple." He replied. Hermione laughed again.

A second later, a house-elf appeared to announce dinner and the four of them walked out, talking loudly and happily. Draco and Hermione hung back a bit.

"I'm sorry your first day here was so horrible." Draco muttered. Hermione smiled sweetly.

"It wasn't all bad." She reminded him. Draco shook his head and smiled back at her, before kissing her sweetly.


	8. Two Weeks at Malfoy Manor

**A/N: Hey guys!! I am soooooo sorry it took me this long to put this chapter up. Life got in the way majorly, and I've had homework and outcomes (VCE students will know what these are) coming out of my ears!! It's been so crazy lately. Luckily, life has kind of been looking up and hopefully I can start typing up some more of the story ASAP. Thanks for bearing with me!! I know how horrible I am!!**

**Thanks!!**

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter does not belong to me and I do not make money off of my stories. If I did, I would be able to go to Italy this year. But I can't. :(**

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**Chapter 8 - Two Weeks at Malfoy Manor**

**Sunday, June 30th (Two weeks later)**

The next day, Hermione and Draco started training again, refusing to fall behind, and wanting to master archery and swordplay as quickly as possible. Once or twice, Narcissa would join them, leaving Scorpius to be looked after by a couple of house-elves. Narcissa would teach Hermione more about swordplay, while Draco would practice his skills in archery; everyday they were both getting better at their given weapon.

They had already written to Harry and told him about their training with muggle weapons. He wrote back, saying that he thought it was a good idea for hand-to-hand combat, and wouldn't leave people completely defenceless if they lost their wand. He also told them that he would start that training with everyone as soon as he could.

On the Tuesday of the second week, Narcissa decided to take Hermione out shopping. They went all over London and the Upper Corner of Diagon Alley, where all the expensive clothes were, and where Narcissa usually shopped. All the clothes they bought were very tasteful, and Hermione loved them all. The only problem she had was that Narcissa wanted to pay. As much as she protested though, Narcissa just waved it off. After they were done, she told Hermione to consider them gifts. Hermione still didn't like someone paying that much money for her though.

When the two of them got home, they hung up their coats and walked into the Lounge Room, only to find Scorpius and Draco asleep in the middle of the floor; Draco with his arms around the small baby, and Scorpius laying face down on his chest, his little face turned to its side.

When Hermione saw this, she offered a little half smile, and leaned against the doorframe of the room. Narcissa looked between them, smiling, and took the bags from Hermione.

"I'll go put these up in Draco's room for you." She whispered. Hermione just nodded absent-mindedly, watching her small family. After a couple of minutes, she walked over to the Father and Son pair and laid down beside them, falling asleep soon after because of her long day shopping.

Hermione woke up later, just before dinner, to find Draco watching her. When she noticed his silver gaze, she smiled up at him sleepily, which he returned slightly. She looked down at his chest and saw that Scorp was still lying there, contently asleep.

Draco turned back to Scorp then, and started stroking his soft, barely visible, snow white hair. Hermione looked at him curiously.

"What's wrong, Draco?" She asked in a whisper, not wanting to wake up Scorpius. Draco replied with a shrug before facing her.

"You mean the world to me, you know." He muttered, taking in every inch of her face with his eyes. Hermione nodded.

"You mean the world to me too." She replied. Draco took a deep breath.

"I don't want you fighting in the battle." He murmured, averting his eyes. His voice was loud enough for Hermione to hear it. Hermione frowned and sat up.

"Draco, we've already talked about this." She warned. Draco got eye contact with her again.

"I don't want to lose you Hermione. I can't." He whispered. A sad expression passed over Hermione's face, and she cupped his cheek gently.

"If you're going down, I'm going down with you." She whispered back. Draco shook his head, shaking off her hand.

"We can't leave Scorp all by himself without parents Hermione. That isn't right." He argued.

"Well, I wouldn't be able to leave knowing that you could be dead at any point during the day!" She whispered furiously.

"I can protect myself, I promise." He replied.

"It doesn't matter. I have to stay. If not for you, then I have to stay for Harry. I promised him that I would fight beside him. I promised him that I would always be there when I became his best friend, and I'm not ditching him now." She argued back.

Draco took her hand and pressed it to his cheek again.

"I can't fight properly if I think that you could constantly be hurt, my love." He whispered.

"I know how to look after myself, Draco." Hermione replied.

"I know that, but it won't stop me from worrying. The Death Eaters are good, Hermione." He replied. Hermione sighed.

"There's no point arguing anymore. I'm going to fight, and no one can stop me." She answered. Draco sighed too.

"You're the most stubborn witch I've ever met." He complained. Hermione smiled at him, though it was a little strained from their recent argument.

"I know. It's what makes me, me." She replied. Draco smiled back at her.

"We should get something to eat. You must be starving." He commented.

"Yeah, I am." She replied, and took Scorpius off Draco's chest, before helping him up.

The couple made their way to the kitchen with Scorpius in Hermione's arms; their previous conversation already forgotten.

When they arrived, a house-elf appeared and took their orders for what they wanted to eat, before disappearing, and the food appeared.

They sat Scorpius down in his highchair, and ate silently. When they were done, they left the Kitchen and moved into the Library. Hermione fed Scorpius, and then rocked him back to sleep, and then both of them read and relaxed before dinner.

During dinner there wasn't very much talk, and that night, they all slept well.

The next morning, Draco and Hermione started up their training again. Their schedule included getting up, having breakfast, passing Scorpius off to Narcissa, and then training for at least three hours; one hour dedicated to each type of weapon in their arsenal, and then having lunch, before going back to train until about an hour before dinner, when they had a shower and got changed out of their sweaty, stinky clothes.

They kept up this schedule for the rest of the week, with Pansy and Blaise joining in on the Saturday. It was an interesting day to say the least.

Pansy and Blaise got there in the morning, at about seven, which was when Hermione and Draco were having breakfast, and joined them for a bite to eat.

"So, what are we starting with first?" Pansy asked as they walked up the stairs to the room Hermione and Draco had set aside to be their training room. It was completely devoid of anything that could possibly be broken, and only had four targets hanging on the wall with a semi-permanent sticking charm.

"First, we start with swordplay for an hour, then archery for the second hour, and then magical duelling for the last hour, to wind down some. It seems to take more energy to practice both of the muggle weapons than it does to do magic." Draco commented. Hermione rolled her eyes. She was transfiguring two pieces of wood that she had found in the backyard into swords for her two friends, and was starting on making them safe like hers and Draco's.

"Come on, let's go. We'll break into pairs first. I'll duel Pansy, and Draco can duel Blaise. How much swordplay have you done?" Hermione asked, suddenly very aware that she could be the worst at this particular field. She handed out their swords.

Blaise and Pansy shook their heads.

"Not much. Mum taught me the basics, and Narcissa would teach me a bit, but other than that, none." Blaise answered.

"Narcissa taught me all I know in a very short time space." Pansy answered. "And it isn't very much." Hermione nodded.

"Okay, good, that means we have a place to start off with. Let's get into our pairs. On the count of three, go." The four split up into their two, and held out their swords.

"First try, we go slowly. Okay? One, two, three, GO!" Hermione called, and the two pairs launched into action. Though it was slow and Hermione and Draco were obviously better at it because of their constant practice, but Pansy and Blaise held their own very well.

It was slow going, getting the other two used to using their swords, but they caught up quickly, and soon things were going much faster. Pansy and Blaise would pick things up, and use them when they could, learning the whole time. The practiced using the swords for an hour, as said, and then stretched their muscles out.

"Now it's time for archery." Draco informed, picking up his bow and quiver of arrows and duplicating it, Hermione following suit, and then each passed the duplicate over to one of the other two.

"What on earth is this?" Pansy asked, holding onto them gingerly. Blaise was giving the equipment the same odd, confused look. Hermione laughed.

"This is what is called a bow, and this is called a quiver. A quiver is a group of arrows, which is what are inside it." She informed, pulling out an arrow and showing them.

"You hold the bow like this, with the semi circle facing outward, and the string facing inward. Then, you take one of the arrows from the quiver, and fit it onto the string by putting the string in the slit at the back of the arrow." Hermione pointed all of this out to them, and followed her own instructions.

"Then, pull the arrow back, making sure to keep it straight. Keep pulling until the string can't be pulled any more, and then take a deep breath. As you let go of the breath, let go of the string." Hermione let go of the string and the arrow hit the middle circle in a split second. She turned to face Pansy and Blaise and saw shock on their faces.

"You've been doing this longer than a few weeks, haven't you?" Blaise asked. Hermione laughed.

"Try about a decade. Dad started me off on archery when I was only really small, and as I got older, I started doing competitions. I haven't done archery since I went to Hogwarts though, and I kinda missed it." She told them. Pansy and Blaise both had their arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

"You have more than a decade's worth of experience in this. How are we supposed to pull something like that off?" Pansy asked. Hermione sighed.

"I'm not expecting you to be brilliant. You're forgetting that I had to teach all of this to Draco as well. And he's getting really good at it. And we practice more in a day than I used to when I was in competitions. I shot at targets only a couple of days a week, for half an hour. Now, we're doing an hour a day, every day. You'll be fine. The one thing you really have to focus on is aim though, and strength. Blaise, you should be really good at it, because you have the arm strength, and Pansy, I think you'd be really good at aiming, but you won't learn if you don't try." Hermione lectured. Draco stood in the background, just watching with pride at how she handled them. He was expecting the same reaction from the Order when they got there.

"Fine. So, how do you do this thing?" Pansy asked. Hermione beamed at her and motioned her over.

Hermione started working with Pansy and helping her with her aiming and shooting, and Draco brought Blaise over to one of the other targets, and started teaching him.

Despite what each thought, Blaise and Pansy learnt quickly, proving that they could do it, and by the end of the hour, Hermione was proud of them.

"That was brilliant. You were really getting good." Hermione praised. Blaise and Pansy smirked.

"Well, it wasn't that difficult." Pansy replied. Draco smirked in the background.

"Yeah, you say that now. You just wait until you have to try and hit a moving object." Draco stated. Hermione, Pansy and Blaise all shot him a look.

"What?" He asked. Hermione and Pansy just shook their heads, and Blaise smirked.

"The aim is to be encouraging, Draco. You're being the opposite." Hermione lectured. Draco rolled his eyes.

"I'm just making a point. They're doing well, but hitting a moving object will be harder." He explained. Hermione looked thoughtful.

"Only if you don't know where to shoot." She answered truthfully. Draco groaned.

"Don't tell me you can hit a moving object as well." He asked. Hermione smirked

"Okay, I won't." She answered. "Okay, let's start with magic now. This one's pretty straight forward."

Hermione and Draco explained how this part of their training would work, and got started.

This part of their training was just like one big duel between the four of them, with only one rule: No Unforgiveables.

The mock-battle went for an hour, just like it was supposed to, before Hermione called time when it was over.

"Time!" She yelled. The four of them then dropped to the floor and were panting while lying on their backs.

"That was harder than I expected." Blaise burst out between taking large, steadying breaths. Hermione, Draco and Pansy all nodded.

"It usually isn't that bad with only two people." Hermione replied.

"Agreed." Draco put in.

After training for so long, the group went down to have lunch, before going back upstairs and doing it all over again. By the time Pansy and Blaise went home, they were exhausted. Draco and Hermione weren't too bad, but that was only because they had done this sort of training for weeks.

The next day, Sunday, Hermione and Draco decided to take the day off from training, because it was their last day at Malfoy Manor. So, instead, the two went out to lunch, leaving Scorpius with Narcissa for the day.

"Alright Draco, where are we going?" Hermione asked, as Draco led her through the heart of London by the hand. Draco just turned around and smiled at her.

"I'm not going to tell you." He answered. Hermione sighed in frustration.

"Damn it, Draco, tell me!" She yelled. Draco laughed at her frustration.

"Don't worry; it isn't anywhere you won't like. It might be a bit expensive for your taste, but you'll just have to live with it." Draco answered. Hermione let out a little 'harrumph', but let Draco casually walk her down the main street of muggle London.

They walked the rest of the way to the restaurant in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's presence.

It took them another couple of minutes to get to the restaurant Draco had in mind, and when they did, Draco opened the door for her, and waltzed right in behind her, looking very much at home. As soon as they had entered, they met with a maitre d'. The man was tall, was wearing a black dinner jacket, black pants, white shirt and a black bow tie. He was a young man, possibly in his early thirties, and very handsome.

"Good afternoon, Monsieur and Madame, what can I do for you this evening?" He asked, with a very precise voice. Draco straightened himself up to his full height, and was almost at equal height with the man.

"My name is Draco Malfoy; would we be able to use the Malfoy dining room? My apologies at not calling ahead of time, but I've been on a tight schedule lately." He lied. Hermione rolled her eyes discreetly at his arrogant tone of voice when talking to the man, who was very shocked to see the young Malfoy heir.

"Of course Mr. Malfoy; it is no problem at all. Right this way." He instructed, sweeping an arm out in front of him, and pointing the way. Draco took Hermione by the waist and directed her through to the private dining area.

When they arrived, the maitre d' seated them, before leaving the room again, in search of menus. As soon as he was gone, Hermione turned to Draco with a raised eyebrow.

"You even have your own dining area in a Muggle restaurant?" She asked. Draco chuckled softly.

"Of course we do. This is one of the finer restaurants in London. Of course we had to have our name in here somewhere." He answered, with a roll of his and hand. Hermione giggled.

"You don't much care for all this flamboyance, do you?" She asked. Draco looked at her seriously.

"Honestly, I wouldn't know what to do without it, but I don't like to flash my name everywhere, like Mother does, and like Lucius used to, just to get their way all the time." He explained. Hermione looked at him disapprovingly.

"Your mother isn't that bad." She admonished. Draco raised a manicured eyebrow.

"When you went shopping with her earlier in the week, did every store owner know her name?" He asked. Hermione looked confused.

"Yes, of course. Isn't that just because she shops there a lot?" She asked. Draco shook his head.

"Not just because of that. She doesn't usually get to go shopping any more. She's been too afraid that Lucius would come after her lately to go out too much. Now that he's behind bars, she's been much more lax, but still on alert. No, it's mostly because she announced who she was when she first walked in, and demanded the best. Don't get me wrong, she donates a lot of our money to charity, and such, and by no means is she conceited, but she does like the perks that come with being a Malfoy." He answered. Hermione looked thoughtful, and was about to say something, but, just then, their waiter walked in.

He came up to the table and passed both them some very swish looking menus that Hermione took from him gingerly, afraid that if she touched it then she'd dirty it.

"Good afternoon, my name is Daniel, and I'll be your waiter for this evening. The specials for today's luncheon are snapper, seasoned with herbs and spices, and with a side of Caesar salad dressed with Italian dressing, fillet mignon with a thin barbeque sauce and the Soup of the Day is French Onion. But, first of all, what would you like to drink?" He repeated off by heart.

Draco scoured the list of drinks.

"I think we'll start off with a pitcher of water with ice, but no lemon." He ordered. The waiter nodded and wrote it down on his notepad.

"Will that be all?" The waiter asked. Hermione looked up.

"For appetizers, may we please have a plate of bruschetta?" She asked. The waiter nodded.

"Very good choice. It is our chef's favourite appetizer. I will be right back with your drinks." He answered and swept out of the room, as if floating. Draco looked over at Hermione; a smile could be seen in his eyes.

"You handled that well." He commented. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I have been to restaurants before." She retorted.

"I do not doubt that in the slightest, my love." He replied, smiling slightly as he took her hands in his. "I love you." He muttered. Hermione blushed and looked down at their hands.

"I love you too." She replied, looking up into his eyes again. They were a molten silver colour right now, unlike the hard, dull grey steel that they were when he was angry, or the dark, stormy grey like when he was aroused, or the light, almost light blue grey of when he was content.

In turn, Draco noticed that Hermione's eyes looked a very light colour cinnamon today. This was different from the rich, flashing chocolate colour of when she was angry, or the dark, coffee colour of when she was aroused, or the light honey colour of when she was content.

The waiter came in moments later with a pitcher of water and two glasses, effectively destroying the moment between the couple. They removed their hands from the table when the waiter put down the pitcher in between them and placed the two glasses in front of each person.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" He asked. Hermione and Draco shook their heads; Hermione smiling lightly, and Draco almost glaring. Hermione had to give him another admonishing look.

The waiter floated out of the room moments later, leaving them alone again.

The couple sat in comfortable silence for a few moments; Hermione taking in the splendour of the room and Draco flattening out the non-existent creases in the table cloth.

"What do you think will happen?" Draco asked quietly, shocking Hermione out of her wandering mind, and snapping her eyes over to him.

"What do you mean?" She questioned. Draco looked down at the table cloth again.

"In the war. What do you think will happen?" He repeated, clarifying himself. Hermione looked at him in pity and placed one of her hands over his, stopping his fidgeting.

"I think everything will be fine. People will die. We know that already. We just have to be able to get rid of everyone from the castle before it starts, and I think the younger children will live. I just hope that most kids won't be left orphans. I hope at least one of their parents' lives." She answered. Draco looked her in the eyes again.

"I hope you live; for Scorpius' sake." He added. Hermione's eyes filled with the sting of tears.

"I hope you live with me. Scorpius will need his father as well you know." She whispered, gripping his hand tighter. Draco flipped his hand over and squeezed it, reassuring her.

"I think we'll both live. But I'm not so sure about the outcome. _He_'s strong. And his followers are powerful. No matter how hard we train, they're just going to hit us with an Avada and it'll be all over. They play dirtier than us." He pointed out.

"Now you're being negative," she admonished. "I think Harry will perform brilliantly. We'll get rid of him once and for all, you'll see. The world can't be this horrible forever." Hermione had a confident gleam in her eye, which sparkled when she talked about her best friend triumphing over the world's worst Dark Wizard.

"I hope you're right, my love. I hope you're right."Draco whispered. And then, yet again, the two were interrupted by the arrival of the bruschetta.

"Can I take your order now, Madame and Monsieur?" The waiter asked. Hermione and Draco nodded, actually happy this time to have been interrupted from there depressing conversation.

"Ah, can I please have the fillet mignon with a side of fries?" Draco asked, The Waiter nodded and wrote it down on the notepad.

"How about you Madame?" He asked. Hermione flicked over the menu, which she hadn't opened yet, and picked the first thing she saw that looked appetizing. The waiter nodded at her choice.

"I will be right back with your meal. Enjoy your appetizer." He wished, and then left the room again. Draco and Hermione each grabbed a piece of bruschetta, to keep their mouths and hands busy.

When they finished the first piece, they let that settle, and worked back into a conversation.

"Has Harry said anything about how we're getting to his house tomorrow?" Hermione asked quietly. Draco had taken her hand a moment ago and was stroking it softly with his thumb.

"No, he hasn't. I expect that we'll get a letter from him about it tomorrow morning, before we're supposed to leave. I'm not worried too much. He probably thinks we'll turn up at some point during the day." He answered nonchalantly. Hermione nodded.

"I just don't want him thinking that something's happened to us." She replied. Draco smiled at her lightly.

"I'm sure he thinks nothing of the sort. Are you going to ask him to invite Pansy and Blaise in?" He asked, quieter still. He leaned forward so he wouldn't have to speak very loudly. He was looking around the room, expecting to see a flashing red light that signified a muggle bug. But, of course, he didn't know what they were.

"I don't know. I think it's a good idea that they get involved. I mean, having them both being with Weasleys must not be good for their popularity at home, if their families even know about it. I think it would be safer for them to be with us. There's less chance of them being recruited." Hermione replied, just as quietly. Draco nodded.

"I agree. But I think Harry has a point as well. Their parents can't really be trusted, even if Blaise' are neutral." Draco pointed out. Hermione nodded.

"I know that, but I don't think they should be left so . . . so unprepared." She argued. There was a pained look upon her face. Draco squeezed her hand again.

"Everything will be okay you know. They'll be fine. Now they know the basics, and they can utilise those skills however they want to. Of course, if they want to practice, they'll have to do it in secret, but I think they'll be fine. Just remember, they aren't the only ones who are going to be unprepared. Just think of every other seventh year." He reminded her.

"Don't tell me that. Now I'm going to have to do something about it." Hermione complained. Draco laughed at her softly.

"You're so sweet and good, Hermione Granger." He whispered. Hermione blushed for the second time that night, lowering her eyes.

"Thank you." She murmured, not comfortable with taking compliments from anyone.

"You know, you could just get Ginny to start up a Duelling-type club, to help everyone get better at fighting. And I'm sure there are others in the school that are able to do archery or swordplay. You could even get Longbottom and Lovegood to help." Draco suggested. Hermione thought about it.

"That really does seem like a good idea." She answered, brightening up. Just as she finished talking, the door opened and the food arrived. Again, they removed their hands from the table and the waiter placed their dishes on the table, smiling at them both before leaving with yet another bow.

"I think they like bowing a lot." Hermione stated. Draco laughed quietly.

"It's their job, love." He answered, taking a drink of water before picking up his knife and fork and starting in on his meal. Hermione did the same, and they ate with only a little conversation, but the silence was a comfortable one.

After they had finished, they settled back into their chairs and sighed contentedly.

"I think I'm going to talk to Ginny about that duelling club you brought up before when we get there tomorrow." Hermione murmured. Draco nodded.

"I think that would be a good idea. We can help organise and such also. Make up timetables and curriculum." He answered. Hermione looked at him curiously.

"You sound as though you know you aren't going to be a part of it." She pointed out. Draco sighed and sat forward in his chair.

"Do you think you want to go back to Hogwarts?" He asked. Hermione looked shocked for a moment before seriously considering it.

"I don't know. There are pulls both ways. But I'm more inclined one way than the other." She replied hesitantly. Draco looked at her quizzically.

"Which way are you more inclined?" He asked cautiously.

"I don't think we'll have much more time to spend with Scorp before we have to send him away. I want to spend as much time with him as possible." She whispered. Draco took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I know what you mean. I don't think I'm going back to Hogwarts myself. It wouldn't be the same. I couldn't leave him." Draco muttered back. Hermione nodded, and Draco pressed a button under the table.

"Uh, what did you just do?" Hermione asked. Draco smiled.

"Calling the waiter. We should probably head home now." He answered. Hermione agreed and the waiter came back into the room. Draco asked him for the receipt and the waiter left again to go get it. They only had to wait for a couple of minutes before he came back and gave it to them. Draco pulled out a credit card and put it into the pocket, before handing it back to the waiter, who disappeared yet again. Hermione raised her eyebrow at him.

"You have a credit cared?" She asked. Draco shrugged.

"I had to pay for it somehow, didn't I?" He asked casually. Hermione sighed. "What? Did you think I was going to pull out that much cash?"

"To be honest, I hadn't actually thought about how we were going to pay until now." She answered. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Thinking of just walking out of here without paying, were you?" He asked good-naturedly. Hermione scoffed.

"No! I just hadn't thought about it, that's all." She countered. Draco laughed and stood up, taking her hand and helping her out of her seat.

"Come on, let's go out and get my card back before we go." He suggested. Hermione nodded and they walked out together, collecting the card along the way.

When they got home, after having dinner, Hermione and Draco packed their bags, and a small one for Scorpius that had all of his toys, diapers and clothes in it, before deciding to hit the hay for the night, and falling asleep.

* * *

**A/N: Hi again, thank you to all the people that are just amazing:**

**Watcher of the Moon**

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**Thanks again everyone!! You people are the greatest! I only update for you!!**

**Sarah xo. **


	9. Welcome Home

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm so sorry about how long this chapter has been in coming. I won't try and make up excuses, but I've nearly finished high school now, for good, so I'm hoping to be able to finish this story and start posting my new one. Thanks to everyone who stuck with it, I haven't given up, I just had other things to do. I'm hoping you like this new chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own or make any profit from the writing and publishing of this story. All credits belong to J.K. Rowling.  
**

**Chapter 9 - Welcome Home**

**Monday July 2**

Early the next morning, Draco woke blearily to a tapping on the window. He slowly, so as not to wake Hermione, turned over and got out of bed, an arm covering his eyes to stop the invading sunlight.

We walked over to the window and opened it to the beautiful snowy owl that swooped in and took her place on the desk. Draco went over to her and took the letter from her. Seeing as she stayed where she was, Draco concluded that Harry was waiting for a reply.

As he opened the letter, he sat back on the bed and furrowed his brow. It read:

_Hermione and Draco, _

_Me and a couple of others (most likely Sirius and Remus) will come and pick you up at eleven from the Leaky Cauldron. _

_See you then, _

_Harry_

Draco sighed. He didn't think it was a good idea. Especially since the idea involved bringing Scorpius out into the open; out into the _Wizarding_ open.

He grabbed a quill and ink from his desk and wrote a quick reply, detailing that they would floo over to Grimmauld Place instead, so as to keep Scorpius out of sight by the wrong people. After sealing the scroll, and tying it to Hedwig's leg, he let the bird fly out the window and turned back to his very inviting bed.

As he climbed in, Hermione started stirring, and turned over to face him.

"What was all that about?" She murmured. Draco wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, closing his eyes and just resting.

"Harry just wanted to tell us that he was going to pick us up at the Leaky Cauldron at 11, but I told him that we didn't want to bring Scorpius out into the world quite yet, let alone our world, so I told him that we would floo over there instead." He replied. Hermione nodded tiredly, and fell back asleep rather quickly.

Draco couldn't go back to sleep though, and stayed awake until the next letter from Harry returned. After carefully extricating himself out of his fiancée's grasp, he opened the window again, and took the letter from Hedwig, explaining that they'll wait for them to floo to the house; agreeing that it would be safer.

After writing back a quick reply of thank you and sending it away, Scorpius awoke crying from the amount of noise. Draco sighed.

"What's wrong my boy? What's making you cry?" He asked, bobbing the tiny tot in his arms and swaying from side to side. Soon after, with Draco's cooing and rocking, Scorpius was back asleep, and his little hand was curled around Draco's middle finger. Draco smiled happily at his son, before extricating his finger and getting changed into a pair of robes and leaving a note for Hermione that he was going down to breakfast.

It was seven in the morning, so Draco was the only one up. He got the House-elves to make him his favourite (Bacon and eggs) and sat down to a marvellous breakfast. And hour later, Narcissa strode into the kitchen, already fully dressed and made up. By now, it was eight o'clock. Draco was reading the _Daily Prophet_ with a grim look on his face.

"What's wrong my boy, you have that horrid look upon your face." Narcissa asked, sitting down next to him and immediately a cup of steaming tea appeared in front of her. She picked it up and took a relaxing sip.

"There's been a lot of muggle killings, and quite a few of muggleborn killings in Wizarding towns." Draco explained, turning the page.

Narcissa frowned.

"Is it too late to change sides?" She asked quietly, startling her son.

"Never." Both Narcissa and Draco jumped upon hearing Hermione's voice from the doorway. She was dressed in her dressing gown and held a gurgling Scorpius to her chest. Draco smiled to her in greeting and beckoned her over, calling a house-elf to get her breakfast once she'd sat down. He took Scorpius from her as she ate and started reading the paper again.

"I just want to change sides, but I don't want to fight." Narcissa added, looking slightly nervous.

"It's called being neutral, but you're just more neutral to one side." Hermione explained, smiling lightly at Narcissa, who laughed softly. By now, Hermione had finished her breakfast and got up to leave.

"Well, I'm going to go change into my robes so we can train. I'll be right back." She announced.

"Mother, can you look after Scorp? I'm going to go put on my training robes." Draco explained, holding his son out for his mother to take. Narcissa took the infant quickly, but carefully, and held him firmly. Draco got up and the two left to get changed, before they trained for 1 and half hours; 45 minutes on Magic and 45 minutes on Swords and archery. After training, the two of them had a shower before gathering their belongings and putting them in the living room beside the fireplace.

"Well Mother, it's time for us to leave. We'll see you soon though, okay?" Draco told her, hugging her tightly before letting go and stepping back.

"Of course. Very soon." She answered, while giving Hermione, who was holding Scorpius, an awkward but all the same loving hug. "I love you two, remember that. Have a safe trip."

Hermione and Draco waved and smiled to a nervous looking Narcissa as they threw floo powder into the fireplace and stepped through, announcing "Number 12 Grimmauld Place!" as they went.

The two of them plus Scorpius and the bags landed in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, to see Harry, Sierra, James, Sirius, Remus and all of the Weasley's sitting at the table, just talking. There was a loud chorus of greetings and hugs of happiness from all sides as they said hello to everyone, but they eventually gained a couple of seats which Hermione could have sworn appeared magically, for there wasn't two spare chairs there when she got there.

"Everyone, this is Scorpius, mine and Draco's son." Hermione announced, once everyone began asking. Mrs. Weasley came over at once and started fretting over the infant whilst Draco and Hermione were congratulated. Mrs. Weasley eventually took Scorpius out of his mothers' arms, and carried him back over to her seat, where she sat and examined and cooed over him.

Draco and Hermione made their way over to where Harry and Sierra were sitting, and engaged them both in conversation; Draco and Harry talked about training, and went into more detail about what he and Hermione had been doing, while Hermione and Sierra gossiped and caught up on what had been happening between them over the past couple of weeks.

The entire room was full of noise when Tonks, Moody and Kingsley walked in to join the party. More greetings were thrown around and there was more cooing over Scorpius. After about half an hour more of catching up, Draco pulled Hermione to her feet.

"We'll be right back, Hermione and I have to take our stuff up to our room." Draco announced. A chorus of goodbyes followed them as they walked out of the room and up the stairs.

"I forgot just how noisy the Weasley's and company could be." Draco muttered, making Hermione giggle.

"I know what you mean; though I miss all that noise that comes with having a big family sometimes." Hermione answered. Draco shot her a smile.

"You fit right in, you know. Even though you don't talk so much, you do." He replied. Hermione stuck her tongue out at him.

"Coming from you, I can't tell if that's supposed to be a compliment or an insult." She shot back. Draco laughed.

"It's a compliment love, have no doubts about that." He answered. Hermione laughed lightly.

"Trust me, I have none." She replied jokingly. They walked up the stairs to the second level, and opened the door to their room. Hermione chuckled and Draco rolled his eyes at the set up of the room. The two single beds that usually resided in the rooms had been transfigured into a queen-sized bed, and in one corner, which had been painted in clouds, snitches and quaffles and charmed to move, sat a white cot, with fluffy white sheets and blue blankets.

"Well, aren't they accommodating?" Hermione justified.

"At least Scorp will like his little corner." Draco muttered. "And I do like the bed. They did well there." He added with a cheeky smile. Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly.

"Of course you do. We'll have to thank them when we get back downstairs."

"We certainly shall." Draco answered, before taking his shrunk luggage from his robe pocket and putting it at the end of the bed. Hermione followed suit.

"At least we can finally unpack now." Hermione joked, sitting heavily on their bed. Draco chuckled, landing beside her as he sat too.

"Yes, finally. Come one, we'll do that later, we better head back downstairs." Hermione nodded and they both started back down to the kitchen. When they got there, they smiled at the sight before them. Everyone was cooing silently at their small son except for a small few who had already seen him. They walked in and took their seats in between Harry and Ginny.

"So, Malfoy, Granger, what have you been doing to keep up with your training?" Moody asked, ever the soft heart.

"We've been training nearly every day, all day for the past month. We started off with magic, but soon we realised that could use some muggle weapons to help us; one's that don't require use of electronics or technical work to use them." Hermione explained.

"We've been using swords and bows and arrows. Hermione's an expert at archery and mother taught me sword play when I was younger." Draco continued. Harry and the others all nodded and murmured their appreciation.

"That was clever you two. Do happen to have any weapons with you?" Remus asked, leaning forward in interest.

"We both have our own weapons, but I can only duplicate mine for use. I have a sword, quiver and bow. We can duplicate Draco's bow and quiver though." Hermione replied.

"Why can't you duplicate Draco's sword?" Harry asked. His face wasn't the only confused one in the room. Draco looked hesitant to answer, but with a nod and reassuring smile from Hermione he explained.

"It may not be safe to use. It comes from my house. I don't know what will happen if others use it, duplicates or not." The faces in the room cleared as realisation spread through them.

The group at large started talking war plans and strategies. Harry and Sierra turned to Hermione and Draco.

"What are you going to do with Scorpius when it all starts happening?" Harry queried. Ginny and Ron turned towards the conversation upon hearing the question.

"Narcissa's going to be taking my family, plus Scorpius and my friend Kaz I told you about to a secure, unknown location. We don't know where." Hermione answered, looking down at her hands before her head snapped up.

"I haven't told my parents about Narcissa being the one to take them." She gasped. Draco frowned at her.

"Didn't we send them a letter?" He asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, we didn't. I should floo over now. I can't believe I forgot." She chastised herself.

"Go then. We'll cover for you here." Ron replied. Hermione smiled at him before getting up.

"I'll be back as soon as possible. I shouldn't be too long." She announced, kissed Draco and walked over to the fireplace. As she left, she could hear the confused questions from everyone in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.

Hermione arrived at her parents' house and immediately called out their names as she walked out of the fireplace.

"We're in the kitchen Hermione!" Her mother called back. Hermione made her way into her kitchen and over to her parents, who looked up in confusion.

"What are you doing here darling? Aren't you supposed to be at Harry's house by now?" Her mother asked. Hermione sighed.

"I forgot to tell you. Narcissa, Draco's mother, has asked if she could come with you to the hiding place. Draco and I believed it would be a good idea, because it would mean that less people would know of where you had gone. Narcissa can create a portkey and take you with her, to a place of her choosing, where you cannot be found. She doesn't wish to fight in the war, and we believe this may be the safest option for her as well." Hermione explained. Her parents looked at her for a few minutes, considering what they had just been told.

"I don't see a reason why not. We'd have to meet her first though. I don't believe we have." Mr Granger replied, Mrs Granger nodding along beside him. Hermione sighed in relief.

"That should be easily done. Just tell me what day you should with her to come over and I'll organise it." She instructed. After settling the details with her parents, she bid them good bye and flooed back over to the burrow, intent on writing her letter to Narcissa.

When she returned, it was to find the room emptier; only Harry, Draco, Ginny, Ron, Sierra, Sirius, James and Remus remained. They were all talking about their holidays so far.

"We haven't really been doing much other than training. Although we did go into London a couple of times, and walked around Hermione's town." Draco was saying while holding little Scorpius as he slept.

"How often have you been training? I know you said nearly all the time, but how much?" Sirius asked. Hermione sat back down in her seat beside Draco and took Scorpius from him.

"Straight after breakfast we'd train for an hour each for swordplay, archery and magic. Then we'd have lunch and do the same thing over again before dinner." Draco replied. "How about all of you? What have you been doing?"

"Pretty much the same as you two from how it sounds; just without the archery and swords. We saved them for until you got here, so you could teach us." Harry answered. Draco nodded. Before he could answer, Scorpius woke up and started crying in his mothers' arms.

"You're hungry, aren't you, little boy? Yes you are. Come on; let's go feed you, hey?" Hermione got up and walked out of the kitchen before heading into another room, locking and warding it.

Conversation didn't really start up again straight away afterwards, and James noticed his son's thoughtful silence.

"What's wrong, son? Why so silent all of a sudden?" He asked. Harry took a deep breath before looking up and into his father's eyes.

"I don't think I'm going to go back to Hogwarts." He announced. Sirius, James and Remus all looked concerned, back Ginny, Ron, Sierra and Draco had determined faces on.

"But what about school, Harry? You need to go back to keep learning." Sirius asked. Harry sighed.

"I can't go back, Sirius. There are so many things I need to do out of school. Besides, we have Luna, Neville and some others to help get the students ready back at Hogwarts. My time is better spent elsewhere." He explained. The three adult males all looked confused.

"What are you talking about Harry?" James asked gently. Harry took a deep breath again.

"I'm going to have to explain something to you, but it can't leave this room. I won't put anyone else in danger because they know this." All of the people in the room nodded.

"Do you remember the day Dumbledore came here to see me? Well, he didn't come to talk to me about my studies. He came to tell me about these things called Horcruxes." There were confused looks on everyone's faces.

"Horcruxes are objects that encase a part of someone's soul inside them. They can only be made by killing a human. It can make the person stay alive, as long as they aren't destroyed. Dumbledore believes that Voldemort made seven of them, because he's a highly superstitious man and seven is a "magic" number. Dumbledore's already taken care of one, Voldemort's grandfather's ring. We took care of Riddle's diary in second year, in the Chamber. Dumbledore found a fake one. It's a replica of Slytherin's locket." He explained.

Ron looked disgusted, as did Ginny, James and Remus. Sierra, Sirius and Draco were all thinking it over.

"You mean he had to kill seven people to make these Horcruxes?" Ron asked, disbelief lacing his words. Harry nodded.

"That sounds like something he'd do." Draco muttered. Their eyes turned to him.

"Father sometimes talked of him and his want to remain invincible. He never knew I was listening when he talked with Snape about it." He clarified.

"Snape knew about it?" Sirius asked. Draco shrugged.

"I don't know. Dumbledore may have told him, the Dark Lord himself may have. I don't know, he never talked about it with me and it was one of those things you didn't ask about. Though, I can't see the Dark Lord telling his followers everything about his plans. I doubt any of them know about this." He explained. The others nodded.

Hermione walked back into the room just as Draco finished. The others filled her in on what they had been talking about and she thoroughly agreed with them.

"Draco and I were talking about not going back to Hogwarts yesterday. We both agreed that if we die in this battle, then we want to spend as much time with our son as possible before we have to send him away with our parents. Those Horcruxes sound incredibly bad though Harry. Do you even know how to find them? Or what they are?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head as he looked down at his hands on the dining table.

"No I don't. But I'm going to," He looked up at her with intent eyes. "And I'm going to hunt them down and destroy them."


	10. Horace Slughorn

**A/N: Hey guys, i'm so sorry this has taken so long to come out, but thanks for waiting :) I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it :)  
Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: Everything that resembles anything to do with Harry Potter or that world belongs to J.K. Rowling. I make no profit off the writing of this story.**

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Horace Slughorn**

**Same day**

James, Sirius and Remus instantly protest along with Ginny. Ron, Hermione, Draco and Sierra held their silence as they waited for all the protesting to die down.

"We'll come with you Harry. Until the end, remember?" Hermione reiterated. Ron nodded along beside her, with Draco and Sierra.

"No, absolutely not. I won't allow you to get pulled into this!" Harry protested. Hermione gave him a look and he stopped instantly.

"Don't be stupid Harry; of course we're coming with you! It's been the three of us from the start and that isn't about to change now. We've always been in dangerous situations. Or have you forgotten about the trapdoor guarded by Fluffy in first year? The Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk in Second Year? Walking around Hogsmeade when we thought Sirius was a mass murderer in Third Year? Think of everything we've done together Harry. We won't be in any more danger hunting these Horcruxes than we've already been in at some point in our lives." Ron argued. Harry put his head in his hands and rubbed them through his hair.

"Alright, alright, I get it. But I can't let Sierra and Draco go. I won't lose you, and Draco you have a son to look after." Harry pressed. Sierra rolled her eyes and Draco stared at him determinedly.

"For the next few weeks I don't think I'll be able to pry him out of Mrs Weasley's arms. He'll be well taken care of here. We'll have to start weaning him now, so he'll be ready before we go, but if Hermione's going I have to make sure she's safe. You have to allow me that." Draco explained. Hermione grabbed his wrist and squeezed reassuringly. They looked at each other and offered one another a small smile.

"And if you think I'm going to stay here while you run off and have all the fun, then you are seriously mistaken." Sierra argued. Harry groaned, knowing he wasn't going to win.

"Fine, okay, you can come." He relinquished. Draco and Sierra smiled.

"Thank you, Harry." Draco replied. Harry nodded wearily.

"But it's much too dangerous, Harry! You could be killed just looking for these things! You don't know anything about the other Horcruxes, or where to find them! What if you can't destroy them all before the battle begins? What then?" Ginny cried. Harry looked at her.

"We have Dumbledore, Gin, we'll be fine. He can help us." Harry explained.

James got up and went to crouch down beside Harry. They looked into each other's eyes with sadness.

"I just got you back Harry. I don't want to lose you now." He said softly. Harry felt tears come to his eyes. Harry broke eye contact with him and looked over to Sirius and Remus one at a time.

"Remus can't go because of Tonks. Sirius can't go because he's the only one who can control Kreacher and stop him from leaking information." Harry muttered to himself before looking back up into his fathers' eyes.

"Come with us. You can help us." He pleaded.

"What in the name of Merlin's saggy ball sack are you talking about Harry?" Ron asked. The others all looked just as confused, but Hermione understood.

"Harry wants one of the adults to come with us, to help us find these Horcruxes and protect us. He's older, and better at magic than we are. He has more experience." Hermione explained. "I think it's a good idea. James should help us immensely."

Draco and Ron started to agree with her and Harry.

"That is an absolutely brilliant idea. As amazing as your mind is Hermione, another brilliant mind would also help to think." Draco reasoned. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"What about me, can I come?" Ginny asked. Hermione, Harry, Draco, Ron and Sierra all looked at each other, before looking back at Ginny with apologetic looks.

"Your mother would never agree, Gin; even with Dad coming with us." Harry tried to explain. Ginny glared at all of them.

"She wouldn't agree with any of you going either!" She argued.

"Think about Blaise, Ginny! Would he really want you going gallivanting around the countryside, looking for these things?" Draco retorted. Ginny turned her glare on him.

"Would Pansy want Ron going? Why aren't you talking about that?" She yelled.

"Because Ron's of age, Ginny! And Pansy isn't going to stop him. She knows about how close Harry, Ron and Hermione are! You're being stupid." Hermione put her hand on Draco's arm, trying to calm him down.

"Draco, calm down." She tried to placate him.

"Gin, you're too young to be going. Mum can't stop me, but she can stop you. I won't have you going." Ron spoke up.

"I'm only a year younger than you, Ron. It shouldn't matter!" She argued back. "And I know about the Horcruxes now, I have to come with you." Ginny's face was very confident and sure of herself.

"That's not necessary true Ginny." Hermione stated. Ginny opened her mouth to argue back, but Hermione held up her hand.

"Before you start yelling at me too, just listen. You can help from here. You won't be completely useless just because you can't come with us. Stay here, research for us. Find out where these Horcruxes are. You'll be able to talk to Dumbledore, and find out what he knows. We most likely won't be able to. We need you to be here." Hermione explained. Ginny looked sour.

"Fine; I'll stay here and do research." She agreed. Sirius looked over at Harry thoughtfully.

"Did you say the next Horcrux was Slytherin's locket? Do you know what it looks like?" He asked. Harry frowned.

"Dumbledore told me it was gold, had a green snake shaped 'S' with jewels around it. It would fit into my palm." Harry described. "Hang on, wait a moment." Everybody stared at him as he raced out of the room and up the stairs. James moved back into his seat as his son raced back into the room.

"Dumbledore gave me a replica of the locket. Here, have a look." Harry handed the fake locket over to him. Sirius took the locket from him and gave it a good look over.

"Dumbledore found this note inside it as well." Harry passed that over too. They all saw Sirius pale after reading the note and looking at the locket.

"I think I know what you're looking for." Sirius got up and walked into the living room. Everybody's eyes followed him as he walked out and then back in. Then, he walked over to Kreacher's cupboard at the end kitchen. He upended the cupboard, sending everything across the floor, before pulling out a gold, oval object.

He walked back over to the table, avoiding the junk on the floor.

"I heard about what happened. I didn't know anything about what they were talking about at the time. Regulus, my younger brother, his initials are R.A.B. It was the night when I'd come home to pack my bag before going to live with James. I overheard Regulus talking about it with Kreacher. They said how they were going to go out that night, and how if he didn't come back, then Kreacher had to finish it. I left before they'd finished the conversation, but I found out through the grapevine that Regulus never came back. Kreacher must have taken it out of the rubbish pile from when we cleaned the place out." Sirius explained, putting the locket on the table for all to look at.

"Do you think this is it, Harry?" He asked. Harry nodded slowly.

"We'll have to ask Dumbledore, but I think so." He replied.

"I can feel the evil in it, and I'm only looking at it." Hermione murmured. Draco grasped her hand. Everyone in the room nodded their agreement as Harry examined it.

"You know, we still don't know how to destroy these Horcruxes." Harry pointed out. Hermione looked at him questioningly.

"Well, there could be something in the restricted section of the Hogwarts Library?" She suggested. "That's how Voldemort found out about them in the first place, correct?"

"Yeah, and a guy named Horace Slughorn." Harry murmured, turning the locket over in his hand contemplatively.

"I think I've heard of him before." Draco registered.

"We definitely have." James replied. "He was our old potions' master."

"He used to like Lily a lot. He even went as far as to invite her to become a part of his 'Slug Club'." Sirius added.

"What's the 'Slug Club'?" Ron asked, pulling a disgusted face.

"Only the brightest and best of Hogwarts were allowed in. It was how he made all of his connections, because they were the ones he believed would make it big, and be able to help him out as they got older." Remus answered. James nodded solemnly as Sirius and Remus reminisced. Harry noticed the look on his father's face and decided to change the subject.

"Do you think this Slughorn guy would know how to destroy one?" He asked. Remus, Sirius and James looked at each other and nodded with a shrug.

"Most likely." Remus answered. Harry nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you know where he lives?" Draco asked. Hermione shook her head with a smile.

"There are locator spells for that. We don't need to worry too much about it." She answered.

"Do you know any?" Harry asked, suddenly perked up. Hermione shrugged.

"Some." She replied. Harry nodded.

"Looks like we'll be going on a trip to see Horace Slughorn." He announced, flinging the locket up and catching it in his hands.

**Tuesday July 3rd**

The group waited until after dinner the next night to go see the Marauder's old Potion's Master. James, Harry, Sierra, Hermione, Draco and Ron all travelled to the park across from Number 12 Grimmauld Place where Hermione produced a map with a flashing red dot, signalling the current location of one Horace Slughorn. He was hiding in a house 40kms away.

"Alright, I'll apparate Ron, Draco will apparate Sierra and James can apparate Harry. Are we ready?" Hermione asked. The three of them grabbed hold of their partners and on three, apparated to the small cottage of Horace Slughorn.

The appeared in an alley close to the house and advanced on it with wands raised and ears alert for any noises. James threw his arm out to stop them when he realised the house was ransacked. He put a finger to his lips and all of them advanced together. James kicked the door in, despite it hanging off its hinges.

"Lumos." He murmured, and the others followed suit. They all entered the house carefully, looking all around them for signs of potential enemies.

"Slughorn?" James called out. He didn't receive an answer. Just out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the couch shuffle its feet. He tapped his father on the shoulder and pointed it out. James nodded at him and moved towards it. He mouthed 'Stinging Jinx' at all of them and held up three fingers. He counted down, and on zero, several stinging jinx attacked the couch all at once, causing it to yelp.

James pocketed his wand with a roll of his eyes while the teenagers around him watched on quizzically.

"You've been caught out now, Slughorn." He said. The couch suddenly sighed and got up. Slowly but surely, the couch turned into a bald, fat old man with kindly eyes and smile on his face.

"James Potter! Here I was thinking I'd never see you again! How are you?" Slughorn asked, pulling James into an awkward embrace that he reluctantly returned, with everyone else looking one awkwardly.

"I'm fine Horace, how are you?" James replied.

"Oh, good, good. Just trying to stay away from those blasted death eaters. They've been trying to recruit me for months now. Anyway, what brings you here, my boy?" He asked.

"Ah, perhaps it would be better if we set the house to rights first, before we started getting into that particular conversation." James answered.

"Quite right, my boy!" He announced, and, with a wave of his wand, the house put itself back together again, just as if no one was ever there.

"So, what's all this, mystery, about?" Slughorn asked. James turned to look at Harry, and Slughorn followed his line of vision, finally noticing that five other people occupied the room.

"Harry? Well, I can tell that this isn't going to be a short visit. How about we all, sit down?" He suggested. Everyone took seats, either on the couches or the two armchairs in front of the television.

"Well, sir, I think I should just start off by saying that we all know that you told Voldemort about Horcruxes." Harry started.

"What? I would never-" Slughorn started, but Harry cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I don't care about whether or not you told him, sir, that's your decision to live with. We need to know something else. We need to know how to destroy them."

Slughorn sighed and looked down at his hands clasped together in his lap. He looked back up at Harry with sad eyes.

"Just because I know this information, it doesn't make me a bad person." The congregation nodded and waited on baited breath for Slughorn to answer Harry's question. "Yes, I know how to destroy a Horcrux. There are few things that can. Can you think of none yourself, Harry?"

"Second year, I stabbed Riddle's diary with a basilisk fang, but we aren't going back into Hogwarts next year, so I won't be able to get any." Harry answered.

"But Harry," Hermione gasped. "You stabbed the Basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor, didn't you? And the sword of Gryffindor only takes in that which makes it stronger. It has imbibed the venom! All we need is the sword of Gryffindor!" Everyone in the room stopped to stare at Hermione after her outburst.

"That's brilliant, Hermione, but there's only one problem. We don't have the sword either." Ron argued.

"Well, I'm sure if you ask nicely, Dumbledore will gladly give you the Sword. After all, it had to have been he that sent you on this mission in the first place." Slughorn suggested.

"Slughorn's probably right. I'll send an owl to the Headmaster tomorrow." Harry announced.

"There's one more way, but it's not one that can be done easily." Slughorn added. Everyone in the room turned to face the old man once more.

"How?" Sierra asked.

"By performing the Killing Curse on it, but only if you have the inner will, and utter hatred to do it." He answered. There was silence for a few minuted before James stood up.

"Does anyone have any more questions?" He asked. The young adults all shook their heads and stood up from their seats.

"Thank, sir, for answering our questions." Harry said. Slughorn nodded, looking downcast.

"It's not a problem, really. I hope all goes well for you." He replied. The six of them nodded and made their way out of the door, James shaking his old professor's hand before grabbing hold of Harry's arm and apparating away.

Once they arrived inside Grimmauld Place, Ginny, Sirius and Remus pulled them aside to explain what they'd found out. So, they reiterated what Slughorn had told them and they sat around contemplating their predicament.

"So, we know how to destroy them, but we don't have the means." Remus surmised.

"Precisely, but I'm going to send an owl to Dumbledore about getting the sword from him. But until then, there's really not much we can do other than researching what the Horcruxes could be." Harry provided. "Where is the locket by the way?"

"I hid it in my bedroom under lock and key, so Kreacher won't try to steal it again to hide in his bloody cupboard." Sirius answered.

"We can't let mum know what's going on. She'd skin us alive if she knew we weren't going to go back to school just so we could run around the countryside." Ron mentioned.

"Agreed," Harry replied. "I would hate to be on the receiving end of Mrs. Weasley if she found out." Hermione and Draco nodded alongside him.

"She can't tell you what to do anymore, Harry. You're my son, and as I'm coming with you, I say you can go." James said. Harry smiled at his dad and nodded his thanks.

"Excuse me for a moment." Hermione said, getting up off the couch in the lounge room and exiting the room, only to come back down several minutes later, holding her son, ink, parchment and a quill.

"Draco, can you hold him?" She asked, passing little Scorpius off to his father, who held him and smiled down at his sleeping face.

"Alright, if we're going to do this, let's do it properly. We need to delegate jobs, so we'll be ready for when we have to leave. Ron and Ginny: You two can gather clothes and a tent. Discreetly, if you can, as you pointed out, Ron, Mrs. Weasley can't know what we're doing. Sirius, Professor Lupin: You two can work out a cover story for why James will be gone, as Draco, Ron, Harry and I will just make it look as though we're just going back to school and you two will be staying here and helping with the research along with Ginny. It has to be smooth and flawless; otherwise she'll figure something out. Ginny, when you get back to school, involve Luna and Neville, we'll need as much help as we can get, and you'll have access to the school library. Get Dumbledore to write you a note for the Restricted Section if you have to. So, Harry, you'll have to tell him about those three doing research at the school, so he knows what's going on. Draco and I will go about collecting, food, water, weapons and the like. Harry, Mr. Potter, Sierra; you three can figure out our destinations, based on the research we do, and guessing. We need a battle strategy. Is everyone in agreement with that?" Hermione asked.

Everyone agreed.

"So, now that that's been figured out, let's get a good night's sleep so we can begin our respective tasks in the morning." Sirius announced, while Hermione and Draco gave each other at look at the "Good Night's sleep" part of his sentence. One never got a very good sleep with a baby in the room.

"Good night everyone." They all cried, before making their way up to their rooms and falling sound asleep.

**Wednesday July 4****th**

Breakfast the next day, as always, was a rowdy affair, with all the Weasley's in one place, along with the Malfoy children, the Potters, Hermione, Sirius and Remus at the table, but it didn't take Harry and James very long to finish.

"Where are you two off to?" Mrs. Weasley interrogated as soon as they got up from the table. James and Harry turned to look at her, trying to look innocent.

"Just some father/son bonding, Molly. We haven't been able to do that, lately." James answered, hurrying Harry out of the room. Hermione, Draco and Ron rolled their eyes at each other, while Sierra tried to cover her smile with her hand.

Molly's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I don't believe you two."

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Molly, but we're completely innocent of whatever you think we're going to do." James answered, before turning and hurrying with Harry out the door.

"I wonder if Mrs. Weasley will figure out what they're doing." Draco murmured to Hermione, who gave him a look in return.

"Not likely. The last thing she'll think is that they're going to see Dumbledore about the Sword."

Harry had sent a floo letter to Dumbledore much earlier that morning, and had received a reply just before breakfast. They were going to see Dumbledore to collect the sword.

"Probably." Draco replied.

Two hours later, Harry and James returned home with the Sword of Gryffindor and the destroyed locket, looking overjoyed with themselves. All the members of their secret little group congregated in the living room to celebrate their small victory.

"What did he say, Harry?" Hermione asked, holding her butterbeer with both hands. Harry smiled at her.

"He said that he wouldn't need it anymore, because we would be looking, but if he found something, he'd let us know. And to keep it very hidden." He relayed. Hermione smiled back before moving back over to Draco.

"Everything's going according to plan so far." She told him. Draco grinned at her.

"Don't jinx it, love, we still have a while to go yet." He replied. She nodded, and her look turned a little grave.

"Well, we best be getting back to our research, we'll see you all later." Sirius announced, and him, Remus and Ginny all left, marching back up to the library, intent on finding something else that could help them.

"We better be going too, Scorpius is getting hungry and tired, and that isn't a good combination." Hermione joked. Everyone laughed, hugged the couple, and then they retreated back up to their room upstairs.

Silence reined for several minutes while Hermione fed Scorpius and then tucked him into his cot.

"Draco, I think we should send our families away the day before we leave." She suggests. Draco came up behind her as she stared down at their sleeping son.

"I think we should too."

"I mean, we won't be able to take him along on the journey with us. It would be much too dangerous."

"I agree. It's only logical."

A hot tear of pain slid down Hermione's face as she gently stroked Scorp's soft cheek.

"I'm going to miss him so much." She choked out. Draco turned her around so that she face him and brought her closer into his arms, letting her cry herself out as he looked down at his little boy.

"I will too, Hermione, I will too."


End file.
